Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve

My husband and I renewed our vows at Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve this month, and I could not have asked for a more beautiful setting. Originally, we wanted to hold our ceremony in Charleston, South Carolina but as the costs started to add up, we began looking locally for something that had a Southern plantation feel to it, and ended up at the stunning old farmhouse/​mansion at Leroy Oakes. It really was the perfect substitute.
We got off to a rocky start, however, as we encountered some rudeness when we attempted to reserve the site for the ceremony. The woman we spoke to was not pleased that we did not want to use the house for the ceremony, but rather the grounds themselves. We wanted our ceremony to be held by the small pond about 300 feet away from the house. On the phone, she kept saying, «That is very weird. Are you going to set up a tent? No? So everyone is just going to stand around? That is weird.» She finally told me that she would have to call her supervisor to see if we could have use of the site. In the end, however, it all worked out, as we were in fact «granted» permission, and I was recently told that the woman no longer works there.
That aside, everything else was wonderful! Bonnie was on-​site the day of our ceremony, and she went above and beyond to make sure that everything turned out beautifully for us, from putting our wedding cake in the fridge to actually helping assemble our DIY chuppah near the pond. She was amazing, and we are so very grateful for all her help.
In addition to weddings/​vow renewals/​meetings/​parties, Leroy Oakes is also the perfect place to walk, as the forest preserve itself is peaceful and pretty, with streams and woods. There are plenty of picnic tables, and people seem to use them frequently. We have also seen dozens of families with photographers at Leroy Oakes — usually by the barn — taking their annual family photos. If you have not been here yet, I strongly encourage you to go. There really is something for everyone!

What better place to review for my 101^st review than a place I’ve been 101 million times?
I LOVE Leroy Oakes, but please does start coming to visit me here, especially if you’re a litterer. All peaceful and environmentally conscious people and creatures welcome however.
I initially started hanging out @ Leroy in high school, mostly after school with friends in either the spring or fall. A couple times we grilled out in the summer, as they have a fire pit and pavilion. The park is pretty big, and there is a large hill that leads down to a creek. Not sure what the creek is named but it’s nice to wade in when feeling hippyish. Hippies seemed to comprise a fair percentage of the population that hung out here at the time, like that that worked @ White Hen when I was a teenager. These days there seem to be less of them, but there’s a fair share of high schoolers with let me say, «hippy tendencies» perhaps. Anyway, everyone has always been very nice and friendly. I usually have a lot of people asking about my dog and making idle chatter when passing by.
The park is nestled off of Dean St. about a mile West (but actually spreading out to) of Randall Rd. in St. Charles. It’s a nice open space with a lot of trails to walk on. It’s usually sparsely populated but I generally see at least a few people when I come. The section of trails toward the entrance of the park are paved and I believe part of the Great Western Trail. I usually meander around the roughly cut wooded trails however, sometimes with friends or walking my dog.
A note for dog walkers, watch the burrs in the fall. The mosquitoes can be unbearable as well. That being said, it is nature so I still give 5 stars to Leroy Oaks for the peaceful atmosphere and bountiful memories.