BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND The Chicago metropolitan area (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau) consists of nearly 11,000 square miles. In this vast area, there are a plethora of awe-inspiring nature destinations. There is Lake Michigan, our vast inland sea, which offers an amazing interplay of sky and … Continue reading New Book Shows That You Don’t Need a Car to Enjoy Chicagoland Nature
A story about the migration of tens of thousands of sandhill cranes; you can view this great Midwestern migration for the next few weeks. A Chicago city park that features 154 acres of native marsh and wet prairie habitat, great birdwatching, and easy hiking trails Nearly 22 acres of restored woodlands, wetlands, and a pond … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2020
I wrote many stories about nature destinations in 2019, but I also covered a lot of other topics that were near and dear to my heart including stories about my family, the loss of a 100-year-old home in my neighborhood, the senseless murder of a sweet little boy, a first-time Amtrak trip across the country … Continue reading The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2019
The story of a fun journey from Chicago to Washington, DC, by train The wildest nature spot in Cook County The remnants of the Manhattan Project…and some great hiking and biking opportunities One of the best places to see spring flowers in Chicagoland A personal ghost story and tales of Resurrection Mary and other ghosts … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in May 2019
Why take a 17+-hour (one-way) train trip from Chicago to Washington, DC, when you can fly there in less than 2 hours? That was the question that some people asked when I told them that myself, my wife, and my 8-year-old son (as well as our good friends, Greg and Nancy, and their children) planned … Continue reading I Survived—and Thrived—on a 38-Hour Roundtrip Amtrak Journey
Nature in Chicagoland 