Harvester Park is the District’s premier community park, featuring one of the most unique and highly regarded playgrounds in Illinois.  Acquired in 1990, it encompasses 37 acres, 20 which are deemed “active” and 17 designated as pond, wetlands, and riparian/prairie open space.

            The Burr Ridge Community Center is a 15,000 square foot facility which hosts many of the District’s programs and special event activities in addition to serving as administrative headquarters.  The adjacent east parking lot serves both Park and community center visitors.

            The 20 active acres are filled with a wide variety of amenities.  Two lit tennis courts, lit basketball, and lit sand volleyball courts are popular attractions.  A fitness court borders the path leading in to the 17 nature acres.  Three lit baseball fields and a soccer/football field occupy large portions of the site.  Additional parking is available on the west side of the Park.  In the summer of 2025, four lit pickle ball courts, a golf putting green and interpretive butterfly garden shall be constructed.

            The central playground presents play experiences that can be found nowhere else.  An on demand babbling creek creates unique water play and the adjacent sand play areas serve as construction, excavation, and exploration stations.  During the summer months, a small splash pad adds to the fun.  An historic music barn, complete with antiques, musical instruments, drums, and music soundtracks provides history lessons, music and entertainment for all ages.  The Rt. 66 section of the playground replicates real roadside attractions that still exist on this historic highway with one-of-a-kind custom equipment and creations, including a thirty foot tall iconic Chicago skyscraper.  The Park has been featured on local network and public television, local radio, national public television, newspapers, travel and tourism magazines and is very popular on social media.

            In the 17 natural acres, the Park features trails, two additional playgrounds, custom interactive discovery stations, interpretive signage, a large covered shelter with fireplace and a high quality fishing pond featuring native Illinois game fish.  This acreage serves as a wildlife sanctuary and passage route for the immediate urban area and hosts a surprising variety of wildlife visitors.  The wetland shelter is available for rental  (see Rental Information Tab), limit of 50 attendees.

            Because of its popularity and our efforts to maintain uncrowded conditions, group visitation is closely monitored and controlled. Any group totaling more than 15 people, adults and children combined, may not gather in the Park without a permit from the Park District.  Generally, group permits are not granted for Harvester Park.  Groups of more than 15 persons will be ejected from the Park without an authorized permit.

            Although Harvester Park provides a theme park type of experience that could easily command an entry fee, the District remains committed to providing our residents and the general public with the very best in free family recreational activities.  Although the playground can get quite busy, the amount of play stations within the central playground and the additional attractions spread throughout the Park’s acreage allows the property to accommodate the larger crowds typical to Harvester Park.  Before visiting the Park, concerned visitors are encouraged to utilize the live video feed provided above in order to gauge crowd conditions at that particular time if that factor could influence one’s decision to arrive at that time.  That camera is aimed at the center of the sand play area.  Crowded conditions here indicates that the playground has a healthy number of visitors at the present time.

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Harvester Park Wetland Trail Map