It is operated by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District, a governmental agency of Champaign County, Illinois, and the forest preserve district has built their headquarters in the park.

[3] The forest preserve is also the host site of the 8 acres (3.2 ha) Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden, a botanical garden located south of the Museum of the Grand Prairie and featuring displays of bedding plants.

[4] In addition, a parcel of forest preserve land has been replanted as the Buffalo Trace Prairie, a replanted tallgrass prairie matching the ecosystem that is celebrated in the museum located immediately to the east.

Lake of the Woods allows visitors to rent 7 different facilities as well as wedding rentals at the Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden.

[5] The 100 foot (30 m)-tall HI-Tower Bell Carillon, which can be climbed by visitors,[6] and a reconstructed covered bridge round out the list of forest preserve attractions.