Park No. 551
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
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Summary
551, also known as Knoch Knolls Park, is located in Naperville, Illinois. The park spans over 224 acres and offers visitors a variety of recreational activities and natural attractions.
One of the main reasons to visit Knoch Knolls Park is for its trails. The park has over five miles of paved trails for biking, jogging, and walking, as well as unpaved trails for hiking and exploring the natural areas. Along these trails, visitors can see the DuPage River, wetlands, and prairie habitats.
Another point of interest at Knoch Knolls Park is the Knoch Knolls Nature Center. This center provides visitors with educational opportunities about the natural history of the area and offers hands-on activities for children. Other amenities at the park include picnic areas, playgrounds, and a fishing pier.
Interesting facts about the area include the park's history as a former limestone quarry. The park's trails follow the former quarry's rail lines, and visitors can see remnants of the quarry's operations throughout the park.
The best time of year to visit Knoch Knolls Park is in the spring and summer when the weather is mild, and the natural areas are in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers winter activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Overall, Knoch Knolls Park is a great destination for those looking to experience the natural beauty of Illinois and enjoy a variety of recreational activities.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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