I mean, it’s really not that big of a secret. Just find a place with a bunch of trees.
But for some really urban Chicagoans, you tend to totally forget that there are plenty of natural and manmade parks around the city that make you feel like you’re taking a wild trip through a dense woodland area. And, of course, where there are trees, there are leaves, and if you get enough foliage together in one spot, an irresistible pile forms beneath them right around this time of year.
If you’re looking for the best spots to jump into a huge pile of leaves, you need only visit Chicago’s largest parks.
Humboldt Park
1400 N Humboldt Dr
Most of Humboldt Park is surrounding a mini lake, which is edged upon by a beach that’s a life-saving oasis for those on the west side of the city. But when you get out and around that, there are lots of big trees, ready to shed their leaves just for you. So thoughtful of them!
Garfield Park
100 Central Park Ave
Garfield Park isn’t huge, but if you just want to make a pitstop at a place with plenty of trees, this is the spot. You can easily find parking around the field, which makes it super easy to stop by, jump in, jump out, and move on. Bucket list, check.
Lincoln Park
2045 N Lincoln Park W
Sure, it’s home to the zoo and a few museums, but it’s also a great area to find a pile of leaves and jump right in. Once you’ve done your messing around, there’s plenty to do around here! It’s a perfect fall date waiting to happen.
Columbus Park
500 S Central Ave
This iconic park out on the west edge of Chicago is a secret oasis filled with manmade ponds and pathways, but here and there are scattered a solid collection of trees, a.k.a. a pile of leaves waiting to happen.
Jackson Park
6401 S Stony Island Ave
With paths that stretch all throughout the park, it’s easy to wander through this massive green space. Jackson Park is full of huge trees that love to shed their leaves come fall, which makes it ideal for leaf-jumping (that’s a thing, right?).
Catherine Chevalier Woods
N East River Rd
A forest preserve up on the northwest side of Chicago, Catherine Chevalier is the perfect spot to find a big ol’ pile of leaves. You might have to venture off the main path to find a clearing, but there are plenty.
Washington Park
5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr
Washington Park is larger than life, as you can see, and they have plenty of huge oak trees that let their leaves fall into gloriously huge piles, totally fit for your jumping pleasure. Get on down there before the season ends and jump to your heart’s content.