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River Forest Illinois Map

Explore River Forest, Illinois, with this interactive street and satellite map.

This page also offers TOPO MAPS — the official USGS topographic sheets — plus USGS aerial imagery, a labelled USNG grid overlay, a distance and bearing tool, and a GPS grid-reference readout. See How to Use This Map below.

Interactive Map of River Forest, Illinois

How to Use This River Forest, Illinois Map

This interactive map shows the street layout and satellite imagery for River Forest, Illinois. Use the Map and Satellite buttons above to switch between street map and aerial imagery views. Use the + and − buttons to zoom in or out, or scroll your mouse wheel while holding the Control key to zoom. On a touchscreen, use a two-finger pinch gesture. Drag the map to pan to any area of Illinois or beyond.

Click ⛶ Fullscreen to expand the map to fill your screen. To return to the normal page view, press the Escape key, click the ✕ Exit Fullscreen button that appears above the map, or on a mobile device tap the back button (Android) or the close icon (iOS).

TOPO MAPS — NEW. Click the green 🔍 Search Maps button below the map to open a second map with a Base map row offering three choices. OSM is the standard OpenStreetMap street map. Topo shows the official USGS topographic maps from The National Map — contours, hydrography, land cover and shaded relief, the same mapping used for hiking, hunting and back-country navigation in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. Imagery shows USGS aerial photography, mostly 1-metre NAIP. The search box finds any US town, county or landmark by name, so you are not limited to River Forest.

Reading the map like a paper quad. Click Grid to overlay the U.S. National Grid (USNG), labelled along the edges exactly as a printed topographic sheet is — at normal zoom the squares are one kilometre across, so you can read a six-figure grid reference by eye and judge distance directly off the map. Click Measure, then tap two points, to get the distance between them together with the grid bearing in degrees and mils, the true bearing, and the magnetic bearing to set on a compass.

Click 📍 My position to take a single GPS reading from your device. It marks where you are and reports your position as a USNG grid reference as well as plain latitude and longitude — USNG being the format FEMA and US search and rescue teams work from — with a Copy position button so you can paste it straight into a text message. It takes one reading and stops, rather than tracking continuously, to conserve your battery. Note that map tiles need cell coverage, but a GPS reading does not — your coordinates stay correct even where the map itself cannot load.

City	River Forest
State	Illinois (IL)
County	Cook County
Country	United States of America
Timezone	Central Time (America/Chicago)

Latitude	41.894875
Longitude	-87.819064
Population	11,717
Density	1824.2 /km²
Incorporated	Yes
ZIP Codes	61109, 60305
Area Code	847, 224, 708
County Seat	Chicago
School District	Oak Park and River Forest District 200

🌦 Goto River Forest Weather Page: River Forest, Illinois — Weather Warnings, Forecast, Radar, Satellite & Current Conditions

About River Forest, Illinois

River Forest is a locality in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It has a population of 11,717. The population density is 1824.2 people per km². River Forest is located at 41.8949°N, 87.8191°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. River Forest is an incorporated locality. ZIP codes: 61109, 60305.

River Forest occupies a flat, verdant expanse of the Illinois prairie that feels defined by the quiet persistence of its internal geography. It lies 1.3 miles north of Forest Park, IL (from Forest Park, IL: bearing 359°T), and is situated 9.1 miles west-northwest of Chicago. The Des Plaines River winds through the western edge of the landscape, providing a narrow, wooded corridor that softens the rigid geometry of the surrounding suburban grid. Residents often find their way to Centennial Park, a local space that anchors the neighborhood with open lawns and a sense of stillness. Three miles to the west, the subtle rise of Players Hill breaks the horizon, while Miller Meadow offers a small, protected basin that preserves the character of the original Midwestern terrain. At dusk, the light catches the leaves of the old-growth trees, casting long, calm shadows across the residential streets.

River Forest emerged from the expansion of the nearby metropolis, evolving from a quiet rail stop into a distinct enclave of architectural significance. The local economy relies primarily on the professional vitality of the surrounding region, though the village maintains a character rooted in its early commitment to residential stability and preservation. Industry here is quiet, favoring the quiet commerce of small professional offices and service-oriented businesses over heavy manufacturing. The history of the village is marked by a steady, deliberate growth that has kept much of the original, stately housing stock intact across the decades. This economic continuity allows the village to maintain a consistent aesthetic, where the pride of ownership is evident in the well-kept brick and limestone facades.

River Forest carries an atmosphere of intellectual restraint, largely shaped by the presence of institutions like Concordia University and Dominican University. These academic centers influence the daily rhythm of the village, infusing the streets with the presence of students and scholars who appreciate the quiet intensity of the surroundings. Notable individuals such as the architect Frank Lloyd Wright left a permanent mark on the visual identity of the area, as his influence remains visible in the design of local homes. Cultural life centers on the community’s appreciation for the arts and historical preservation, often gathering around the shared spaces that define the village’s public life. Life here moves with a measured pace, favoring the quiet depth of a library or the shade of a local park over the frantic energy of larger urban centers.

Nearby Outdoor Places

Honor Roll (Monument) — 0.4 mi, 252° W
Thatcher Woods Trailside Meuseum of Natural History (Nature Reserve) — 0.4 mi, 260° W
Bill’s Tree (Monument) — 0.6 mi, 004° N
Cougar Pride (Public Artwork) — 0.6 mi, 052° NE
Dominican University (Monument) — 0.7 mi, 337° NW
Indian Boundary Preserve (Local Conservation Area) — 0.7 mi, 115° SE
G.A.R. Woods (Nature Reserve) — 0.9 mi, 204° SW
Thatcher Woods Prairie (Conservation Area) — 0.9 mi, 310° NW
Maywood Park (Local Park) — 0.9 mi, 238° SW
Holmes School Turf Field (Local Recreation) — 1.0 mi, 089° E
Lindberg Park (Local Park) — 1.1 mi, 047° NE
Brooks Middle School Turf Field (Local Recreation) — 1.4 mi, 126° SE
Creative Minds Center of the Arts (Arts Centre) — 1.9 mi, 138° SE
Miller Meadow (Local Conservation Area) — 2.1 mi, 192° S
The Music Garden (Theatre) — 2.6 mi, 127° SE
The Actors Garden (Theatre) — 2.6 mi, 127° SE
Schiller Woods Magic Water Pump (Attraction) — 4.2 mi, 342° N
Bactrian Camel (Attraction) — 4.2 mi, 191° S
Przewalski's Horse (Attraction) — 4.2 mi, 192° S
Short-Nosed Echidna (Attraction) — 4.3 mi, 191° S
Dulphin Underwater Viewing (Viewpoint) — 4.3 mi, 188° S
Riverside Historical Museum (Museum) — 4.6 mi, 181° S
The Compassion Factory (Gallery) — 5.0 mi, 200° S
Rico Music & Art (Arts Centre) — 5.4 mi, 042° NE
National Veterans Art Museum (Museum) — 5.5 mi, 041° NE
Indiana Dunes National Park (National Park) — 32.6 mi, 144° SE · 11k acres
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park (State Park) — 34.3 mi, 000° N
Midewin Other (National Forest) — 35.5 mi, 197° S · 18k acres

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