Explore Events
Mark your calendar. Thereβs always something amazing happening at Klehm!
Plant Sale Fundraiser 2025
April 4th – May 4th, 2025 – Online Shopping!
Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden’s annual Plant Sale Fundraiser is coming soon! Purchase your plants online beginning April 4th and pick up your order on May 9th or May 10th in the Garden Pavilion at Klehm.
These plants have been carefully selected to be new or unique varieties of beloved perennials that would be a great addition to your home landscape.
A Little Simplicity Tranquility Walk
Thursday, April 10th, 2025
On this eveningβs walk, we will consider, or reconsider, what we really need (or donβt need) to have a fulfilling life. And we will turn to the natural world as our guide.
In Honor Of Trees Tranquility Walk
Wednesday, May 14th, 2025
On this twilight stroll through the forest, we will consider the relationship we have with trees, and honor those living beings that give us so, so much.
#klehmarboretum
What Can I Experience at Klehm?
As one of Rockford, Illinoisβ top outdoor family-friendly destinations, thereβs something for everyone. Our 155 acres of woodlands and botanical gardens feature a childrenβs garden, 1.4 miles of paved paths, 3 miles of wooded trails and much more!
Nancy Olson
Childrenβs Garden
Explore Kidβs Creek for interactive stream play and frolic through our splash pad! Enjoy different kid-friendly gardens, an observation tower and oversize play structures that invite children to experience nature in a playful setting.
Garden
Pavillion
This spacious outdoor tented venue and landscaped patio is perfect for hosting wedding receptions as well as corporate and social functions.
Very beautiful grounds that are maintained very well. The main walking path is wide, paved, and easy to walk, so great for strollers or people with slight walking challenges. There are plenty of places to stop, sit, and reflect, which I really appreciate.
Connie Jo Holmes
Very beautiful grounds that are maintained very well. The main walking path is wide, paved, and easy to walk, so great for strollers or people with slight walking challenges. There are plenty of places to stop, sit, and reflect, which I really appreciate.
Connie Jo Holmes
My family comes here at least twice a year to visit the children's garden and it never disappoints! It's always clean, the flowers and grounds are beautiful and the walks are always adventurous. Definitely recommend bringing a suit for the kiddos and maybe some cups if they play in the 'river' and splash ground. Nice covered gazebo w/picnic tables and lots of shaded areas.
Deanna Baily
My family comes here at least twice a year to visit the children's garden and it never disappoints! It's always clean, the flowers and grounds are beautiful and the walks are always adventurous. Definitely recommend bringing a suit for the kiddos and maybe some cups if they play in the 'river' and splash ground. Nice covered gazebo w/picnic tables and lots of shaded areas.
Deanna Baily
Very nice place for a relaxing walk. A getaway for stress relief. Both easy paved walking paths and nature trails for those wanting to go adventuring.
Well designed for both adults and children. There is a great wonderful entertainment and water park for kids. They also create themes for people to walk through. When we were there, the theme was Big Bugs.
A great getaway.
Enjoy!
Rick Noll
Very nice place for a relaxing walk. A getaway for stress relief. Both easy paved walking paths and nature trails for those wanting to go adventuring.
Well designed for both adults and children. There is a great wonderful entertainment and water park for kids. They also create themes for people to walk through. When we were there, the theme was Big Bugs.
A great getaway.
Enjoy!
Rick Noll
No matter your age Klehm has much to offer. The day we visited most recently areas were set for two late summer weddings and the weather was perfect. The display of sculptures was terrific this year. My grandsons love the children garden especially the water features. All of these things are great fun the peaceful beauty among such a huge variety of plants and trees. Well worth a visit.
Melody Welty
No matter your age Klehm has much to offer. The day we visited most recently areas were set for two late summer weddings and the weather was perfect. The display of sculptures was terrific this year. My grandsons love the children garden especially the water features. All of these things are great fun the peaceful beauty among such a huge variety of plants and trees. Well worth a visit.
Melody Welty
I love this place. Sometimes on the trails I can forget that I'm in the middle of a 100k+ city. It is sufficiently forested to remove the bulk of the city noise and allow me to attune myself to sounds of nature. I can trek the trails for a couple of hours and not walk the entirety of the grounds. I would definitely recommend going in the fall and the spring. Nature's fireworks are on full display during these seasons. Consider buying a membership if you like places like these.
Restrooms: Very clean and well maintained.
Dog-friendliness: Very popular place to walk one's dog. Everyone seems to be very courteous with dogs on leashes and cleaning up after their pets.
Joshua Blackwell
I love this place. Sometimes on the trails I can forget that I'm in the middle of a 100k+ city. It is sufficiently forested to remove the bulk of the city noise and allow me to attune myself to sounds of nature. I can trek the trails for a couple of hours and not walk the entirety of the grounds. I would definitely recommend going in the fall and the spring. Nature's fireworks are on full display during these seasons. Consider buying a membership if you like places like these.
Restrooms: Very clean and well maintained.
Dog-friendliness: Very popular place to walk one's dog. Everyone seems to be very courteous with dogs on leashes and cleaning up after their pets.
Joshua Blackwell
This is a wonderful place in Rockford, IL!
The admission fee is very reasonable. You can bring young children for the splash park and creek. Our party had 2 4 year olds that played for more than an hour, took a break for lunch and rest room breaks and then went back to play some more.
The only reason I didn't choose 5 stars is because there is so much more park to see, I want to reserve the 5th star for my next visit.
Barbara J. Arnold
This is a wonderful place in Rockford, IL!
The admission fee is very reasonable. You can bring young children for the splash park and creek. Our party had 2 4 year olds that played for more than an hour, took a break for lunch and rest room breaks and then went back to play some more.
The only reason I didn't choose 5 stars is because there is so much more park to see, I want to reserve the 5th star for my next visit.
Barbara J. Arnold
There are endless beautiful things to see. You can choose paved or natural paths.
Kristine Maynard
There are endless beautiful things to see. You can choose paved or natural paths.
Kristine Maynard
Very beautiful. Nature at it's best. Tons of flowers, plants and trees. Many unique tree varieties and many are labeled. The main paths are wide and paved and there are more narrow paths that cut through the wooden areas. We brought our dog and had a great time.
Ken Witz
Very beautiful. Nature at it's best. Tons of flowers, plants and trees. Many unique tree varieties and many are labeled. The main paths are wide and paved and there are more narrow paths that cut through the wooden areas. We brought our dog and had a great time.
Ken Witz
Spring is here and so is the spring edition of Nature's Notebook, the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County's quarterly publication! A limited number of printed copies are available for free here at Klehm and also at:
π Headquarters Administration Building (5500 Northrock Dr., Rockford)
The publication is also available digitally under the Blog tab on their website!
π www.winnebagoforest.org/natures-notebook
π· Cover image: Bloodroot by Jen Boeke ... See MoreSee Less
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We've had many feathered visitors at Klehm!
#birds #nestingseason #featheredfriends #klehmarboretum #gorockford #enjoyillinois ... See MoreSee Less
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We found something today...the peonies are coming! π
#celebrate #spring #peonies #howexciting #klehmarboretum #gorockford #enjoyillinois ... See MoreSee Less
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We have 3 eggs now!! ππTHIRD EGG!
Threeβs companyβ¦
At approximately 9:30am, the third egg arrived this morning.
The second grade students at Oregon Elementary School were able to watch her lay it too. How fun for them!
You can watch for more eggs here: iconicnrg.com/falcons/
π·: Photo of female peregrine falcon, Louise, taken from Nest Cam footage on 3/21/2025. Time stamped. ... See MoreSee Less
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