Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the six-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, and I'm so happy to have written more than 225 articles about the woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas that make up Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I'm pleased that Nature in Chicagoland has …

Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022!

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2021.  I visited 37 nature destinations in Illinois and Indiana last year, and 23 were new spots—including Rock Run Rookery Preserve, Buffalo Rock State Park, Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, Casper Bluff Land & Water …

A Blog Post of Thanks to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown, Local Bookstores, and Others Who Helped Make Nature in Chicagoland a Success

BY ANDREW MORKES, AUTHOR of NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND It’s been a good year…at least for the owner (me) of a small book publishing company that does not have the power of the Big Four “digital-paper-industrial complex” publishers, who can sell tens of thousands of books in a matter of minutes with a perfectly-timed Tweet about …

Goodbye (and Good Riddance) 2020…Hello 2021!

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2020. In nearly 45 blog posts, I covered everything from buffalo "hunting" at Kankakee Sands; to exploring the remnant prairies that dot Chicagoland's landscape; to 14 of my favorite national parks and other …

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in July 2020

A great canoeing/kayaking/hiking destination in the Chicago area 40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a fishing pond–all in a Chicago neighborhood Advice on camping with kids in the time of COVID-19 and beyond A great state park with camping, surf and sand, and much more just two hours north of Chicago An Ice …

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in April 2020

Finding peace and enjoying time with my son via neighborhood walks during COVID-19 The wildest place in Cook County 85+ places to visit in the Chicagoland area and beyond A good spot for hiking, running, biking, and otherwise recreating during COVID-19 Great hiking and biking and remnants of the Manhattan Project An interview with one …

16 South Chicagoland Nature Wonders: Great Destinations on the South Side and in the South Suburbs to Check Out This Weekend and Beyond

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Looking for something to do this Labor Day weekend beyond? If so, check out these 16 great places on Chicago's South Side and in its south and southwest suburbs. I've also included Indiana Dunes National Park, our nation's newest national park, and it's just as …

15 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland

Spring is here in Chicagoland—at least if you look at the calendar, but not the thermometer. Warmer weather is on the horizon, and summer will be here in no time. But before the hot, stifling days of summer are upon us, here are 15 things you should do outdoors this spring in Chicagoland: Photo courtesy …

12 Tips for a Successful Winter Hike

Winter hiking is the perfect antidote for a Saturday morning marathon of Netflix’s Nailed It. That’s what I discovered last Saturday as I managed, after several hours of finagling, to pull my 8-year-old son away from the amateur baking competition culinary-astrophe (just kidding; I actually like the show in small servings) to go for a …

Hello 2019…Goodbye 2018!

I want to send a 500-foot-tall, Godzilla-like thank you to all of my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2018. In about 30 blog posts and more than 46,000 words (I didn't count them, so I'll have to trust my data analytics software), I’ve covered everything from troll hunting, snow shoeing, and …