BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Nachusa Grasslands is a wild and wonderful place and an environmental restoration success story. And to top that, it has bison on-site. And there are sandstone cliffs to see and ponds and creeks to explore. What more can you ask for? The Nature Conservancy had … Continue reading Nachusa Grasslands: See Bison, Savor Solitude, and Hike Through Biodiversity Hotspots
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Nestled near steel processing plants, a massive landfill, and busy railroad lines and roads lies a beautiful nature area that is an oasis for both resident and migrating birds. Hegewisch Marsh Park (13200-13298 S. Torrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60633) features 129 acres of native marsh, … Continue reading Hegewisch Marsh Park: Great Birdwatching and Hiking and an Inspiring Story of Ongoing Environmental Restoration
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 … Continue reading Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Looking for a place where you can: view as many birds as possible have the chance to hike several miles on a loop trail enjoy some solitude visit someplace new If so, you should visit Pine Dunes Forest Preserve, which is located in Antioch, Illinois, near the Wisconsin border. It’s part of the Lake County … Continue reading Pine Dunes Forest Preserve: Birding, Biking, and Easy Hiking
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2022. I continue to love writing this blog, and wish I had more time in my daily life to do so. I visited many nature destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West … Continue reading Goodbye 2022…Hello 2023!
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND The Forest Preserves of Cook County feature 70,000+ acres of beautiful public land. Its prairies, forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers, streams, and savannah provide excellent opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling, fishing, horseback riding, running, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, swimming, and other forms of outdoor recreation. It … Continue reading 8 Reasons You Should Vote Yes for the Cook County Forest Preserves on Election Day and 11 Spots to Visit
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND How lucky we are to have such natural places as Middlefork Savanna Nature Preserve, where the saw-toothed sunflowers grow tall as fairytale giants (OK, maybe not that tall), the plentiful asters prettily mark the end of wildflower season, and the birds seem to sing a … Continue reading Middlefork Savanna Nature Preserve: Great Blooms, Biking, Hiking, and Nature Experiences
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND There are only 63 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in Illinois (as opposed to 3,288 miles in Michigan), and much of this land has been developed as part of city lakefronts, heavy industry, and private beachfront property. That’s why Illinois Beach State Park (1 Lake … Continue reading Illinois Beach State Park: Beautiful Dune, Lake, and River Views; Hiking; Biking; Camping; and Other Great Outdoor Recreational Activities
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND If you only read one sentence of this entire story, it should be this one: Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve is an amazing place that is at the height of its summertime wildflower show, and you should visit today, tomorrow, or very soon to see … Continue reading Bluff Spring Fen: A Fen-tastic Nature Experience in Far Western Cook County
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Chicago has a population of nearly 2.7 million people, more than 4,000 miles of streets, and large industrial areas with factories spewing pollution into the air, the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan. Like most U.S. cities, it also has problems with crime, racial inequity, poverty, lack of … Continue reading Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 10 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City
Nature in Chicagoland 