Kishwaukee Gorge North Forest Preserve 4643 Blackhawk Road, Rockford, IL 61109

"Beautiful place to come to get a little elevation hiking. There are easy trails to follow, and for those more adventurous, some pretty steep stairs near one of the ravines. There is some highway noise especially in the cooler months when foliage has died back, but it's easy to forget about when exploring. Lots of interesting mosses, lichens, and fungus to see even when the foliage is off the trees. As of August 2023, expect to park at the closed gate and walk in along the paved road to access the walking trails."

"So glad we came here! Very beautiful trail along the river that follows the ridge and then cuts down through the gorge! Cool stairs takes you down to the water and give you a great view from above to gorge! Whole loops takes 30-40min, easy for all ages and not very busy!"

"Kishwaukee Gorge North is a great preserve for an August hike. Unlike other wooded preserves, there are relatively few mosquitoes at this time but still enough to recommend bug spray. You'll find a variety of plant, bird, and bug species in the prairie, forest, and river. If you hike after a recent storm do be careful on the path down the side of the gorge. Otherwise the preserve appears to be well maintained. There is an outhouse bathroom if needed. Those with some mobility limits may prefer to stay on the prairie and wooded paths before the steep gorge paths. The prairie paths are wide mowed grass paths that begin near the car parking."

"Such a awesome spot to go for a nice walk . There are many stairs to get to the gorge and they are steep , probably not recommended if you have walking issues"

"I went there to bird watch and wasn't let down. It's a great simple loop with a path down to the river. Be warned though that the path down is very challenging especially when coming back up"