Will County Forest Preserve’s 2026 Dog Park Permits Now On Sale

WILL COUNTY — The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s 2026 dog park permits are now on sale at visitor centers and online.

Permits became available Nov. 1 and are valid for the remainder of 2025 and all of 2026. Each permit grants access to all six off-leash dog parks:

• Forked Creek Preserve – Ballou Road Access in Wesley Township near Wilmington
• Hammel Woods – DuPage River Access in Shorewood
• Lower Rock Run Preserve – McClintock Road Access in Joliet
• Messenger Marsh in Homer Glen
• Plum Valley Preserve in Crete Township
• Whalon Lake in Naperville.

Each park features separate enclosures for large dogs and for small dogs weighing 35 pounds or less.
Annual permits cost $40 for Will County residents and $80 for nonresidents. Discounts are available for senior citizens, veterans and active-duty military. Additional fees apply for multiple dogs, up to a maximum of three. Daily passes are $5 each for up to three dogs and can be purchased in person or online.

Permits are available at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon, Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville, Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township, which are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Permits also are available at the Sugar Creek Administration Center, which is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Online sales include a $2 service fee. Permit applications also can be mailed to the Sugar Creek Administration Center.

For more information, including dog park rules, visit the Dog Parks page at ReconnectWithNature.org.