Politics & Government

2012 Cook County Forest Preserve Permits Available

Cook County Forest Preserve Permits are on sale online and in person.

The Cook County Forest Preserve will begin selling permits for 2012 Tuesday, Jan. 3.

In-person sales will take place from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County General Headquarters, 536 N. Harlem Avenue, River Forest, Illinois.

Normal hours for in-person sales are Monday – Friday from 9am – 4pm, and will begin on Tuesday, January 3.

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Online sales will also open at 8am on January 3 at www.fpdcc.com and will remain open available 24 hours a day.

A Picnic Permit must be obtained by groups of 25 or more. Only two picnic permits per person or organization are allowed per year.

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Permit prices vary based on the size of the group and the amenities available at the grove. Permits for groups larger than 399 people must be purchased in-person at the River Forest General Headquarters location.

The Forest Preserve District of Cook County sold 8,122 permits in 2011. Of those, 1,044 (approximately 13 percent) were issued on the first day.

More than 1 million people participated in permitted picnics held at Forest Preserve District groves in 2011.

The most popular groves for picnics in 2011 were:

  • Dan Ryan – Chicago
  • Schiller Woods – Chicago/Schiller Park
  • Bunker Hill – Chicago/Niles
  • Busse Woods – Elk Grove Village/Rolling Meadows/ Schaumburg

Information submitted by the Cook County Forest Preserve.


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