The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park, Illinois, United States

5Taylor B 5:00 PM Aug 22, 2022

The three E's--To exhilarate, educate and entertain
I'm not sure how they heard about it, but one of the first things our grandchildren from California and Connecticut inquired about when they arrived for a summer visit was: "Can we go to the Forge?" Located at 1001 Main Street in southwest suburban Lemont, off I-55, The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park is what Riverview Park was to my generation before it closed in 1967. Today, The Forge is comparable to and competitive with Six Flags of America, Raging Rivers, Centennial Water Park, Chicago in Illinois and Santa's Village. Opened in July 2020. it covers 300 acres with ziplines, ropes courses, climbing towers and walls, bouldering areas, fishing, paddleboating, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking trails and other outdoor activities. The ropes course is the tallest in North America at over 120 feet. The park also features adventure dining, a beer garden, an event venue and summer camps. Interestingly, it was built on disused industrial land and flooded former Lemont dolomite quarries that straddle the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage area and abut the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. The Forge Quarry, the Great Lakes Quarries and the I&M Canal are utilized as water features. Remember the Bobs, The Comet and Aladdin's Castle at Riverview? And the slogan: "Laugh your troubles away?" The Forge's slogan is "Endless fun for everyone." As 81-year-old retirees, we aren't into ziplining. But watching our grandchildren enjoy one activity after another is fun enough.

5PromoRoadGuy 5:00 PM Jun 5, 2021

Ropes Course Delivers
This park is a new and significant addition to the many attractions that make Chicagoland a draw for vacations. It's not just a fun new thing in the suburbs, but rises to the challenge of being destination-worthy, even considering it's an hour trip from the Loop. The ropes course is claimed to be the largest aerial challenge course in the world, and I believe it. Three huge towers connect to several smaller, but still very large towers by zip lines. You can travel between them without ever coming down, and each tower provides unique climbing experiences. A truly impressive experience. Also notable is the quality of the staff. We interacted with a dozen or more staff members, and all of them were notably engaged, friendly, and knowledgeable. Amazing professionalism from a team that's largely comprised of teenagers and folks in their early 20s. It was clear that safety was paramount, and while the staff were nice they were also very much on top of ensuring everyone's safety. The equipment was top notch, and safety was never a concern. This park had other offerings that we didn't try this time, but the complex easily could fill a weekend with active fun and beautiful scenery. It's hard to drag me out of the city when I visit Chicago, but this was absolutely worth it. One tip: If you're going to do the ropes course the one downside is that we didn't see how you could get access to (much needed) water and other supplies (sunscreen) without having one or more people carting around a cooler (which is what we did). If you have a non-climber in the group, make sure they have some support items packed, as you'll need them. So I'd prepare for a day outside because there isn't much in terms of infrastructure right near the ropes course. So plan to be in the sun and elements without a place to duck in for a break. Also know that the nearest bathrooms are all porta-potties.