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 … Continue reading 16 South Chicagoland Nature Wonders: Great Destinations on the South Side and in the South Suburbs to Check Out This Weekend and Beyond
Thousands and thousands of years ago, a spring-fed stream began to carve a ravine into a bluff that overlooked a river. As time passed, the ravine grew deeper. Native Americans (including the Potawatomi chief Black Partridge) lived in and/or travelled through the forests, ravines, towering bluffs, and flood plains of the area. Life was good—especially … Continue reading Black Partridge Woods: Cool Ravines, Great Hiking, and 6 Other Reasons to Visit
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND This blog post takes a break from nature to focus on the ghost stories I heard growing up on the South Side of Chicago. Come along with me as I suspend disbelief, momentarily turn my back on science and reason, and embrace the supernatural. I’m … Continue reading A Personal Ghost Story, Ghosts of Chicago’s Southwest Suburbs, and 11+ Spots for Post-Ghost-Tour Fun
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED 2023 Where: Red Gate Woods, Forest Preserve of Cook County-Palos Trail System Distance From City-Center Chicago: About 23 miles (Red Gate Woods is located in Lemont, Illinois) Quick Review: Among the highest-quality natural habitat in the Chicago area. Hiking trails that range from paved flat paths, … Continue reading Red Gate Woods: Hawks and Hills, Sloughs and Snakes, and Ghosts and Buried Nuclear Waste, Oh My!
Nature in Chicagoland 