08/31/2026
WGO FEATURE | FROM HORSEBACK RIDES TO DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: MILLBROOK IS DRAWING VISITORS INTO KENDALL COUNTY
NEWARK — Tucked into the countryside outside Newark, Millbrook Trail Rides has been doing something that may be flying under the radar locally: bringing visitors from the Chicago area into Kendall County for experiences they probably aren’t finding anywhere else nearby.
Traditional trail rides are still part of the attraction, but Millbrook has expanded far beyond the standard saddle-up-and-follow-the-trail experience.
Visitors can find moonlight rides, themed horseback events, special outings and even immersive Dungeons & Dragons adventures on horseback.
Riders have access to hundreds of acres of trails, taking them through the rural landscape that makes this part of Kendall County such a different experience from Chicago and the suburbs.
And some of Millbrook's events get considerably more creative.
Through events promoted by SaddleSnaps, Millbrook has turned tabletop fantasy into an experience on horseback. Dungeons & Dragons one-shot adventures are $150 per rider, combining horseback riding with an immersive fantasy experience.
Other themed rides vary in price, including special events such as moonlight rides paired with a chili supper and a Horse Lover's Renaissance Faire.
For Carol Mabus Cronin, one of the people behind the events, however, the bigger local story isn't only what happens on horseback.
It's what happens after the ride.
Cronin told WGO News that Millbrook attracts thousands of riders from Chicago each year — visitors who often leave the trails looking for somewhere to eat, drink or explore.
And that means money coming into Kendall County doesn't necessarily stop at the stable.
Visitors may grab dinner in Yorkville, stop at another local business, fill up their vehicle or return later to explore something else they discovered during their trip.
Millbrook has also found ways to bring other local businesses directly into the experience.
Cronin says Sages Meat Market in Oswego partners with them for chili-supper moonlight rides, while Foxes Den Meadery has partnered on Renaissance Faire and Dungeons & Dragons events.
It's an interesting example of what small-scale local tourism can look like.
Instead of one attraction competing for every dollar a visitor brings into Kendall County, an experience becomes the reason for the trip — and neighboring businesses can benefit from the traffic it creates.
GETTING NATIONAL ATTENTION BEFORE LOCAL ATTENTION
There's another interesting wrinkle to Millbrook's story.
Cronin told WGO News their events have previously attracted attention from Polygon and Nerdist, while getting local news organizations interested proved considerably more difficult.
That struck us as worth changing.
Because Millbrook doesn't fit neatly into one category.
It's horseback riding.
It's outdoor recreation.
It's fantasy and gaming.
It's food and entertainment.
And increasingly, it's another piece of Kendall County's tourism economy.
For a county frequently discussed in terms of subdivisions, development and population growth, Millbrook offers a reminder that some of Kendall County's greatest assets remain outside those subdivisions.
Open country. Local businesses. And experiences people are willing to drive here to find.
If thousands of people are coming from Chicago to ride through hundreds of acres of Kendall County countryside — and then heading into our communities hungry afterward — that's more than a horseback ride.
That's local economic activity.
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