BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the three-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland. In the last 1,095 days, I’ve published more than 120 articles about the great outdoors. I've covered everything from eagle watching and views of the mighty Mississippi River at Mississippi Palisades State Park; to remnants of … Continue reading Celebrating the Three-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Great hiking and fantastic views of the Missipppi and Apple Rivers Beautiful, secluded beaches, towering sand dunes, and top-notch hiking trails just 50 miles from Chicago A beautiful nature center on the DuPage River that has easy hiking trails, live animals, a play area for children, and much more 8 places to see bison in … Continue reading The 8 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in July 2019
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 … Continue reading 15 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland
Willa Cather, one of my favorite authors, once described the Midwest (especially Nebraska) as a "Sea of Grass." But farms, miles of pavement, and cities and suburbs have replaced much of this vast ecosystem. This is especially true in Illinois, which is misleadingly known as the "Prairie State." Approximately 60 percent of Illinois, or about … Continue reading Author Discusses the Joys of the Tallgrass Prairie
Ghost Stories, Trolls (the fun kind), Buried Remains of the Manhattan Project in a Suburban Forest Preserve, Indoor Oases for Weather-Challenged Fall and Winter Weekends, An Amazing City Park, and Places to See Bison in Chicagoland. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in October 2018 based on page views … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in October 2018
Troll Hunt concluded on January 31, 2021, and the trolls are no longer at the arboretum. But the arboretum remains an excellent place to see nature, and its next major exhibition, Human+Nature, will debut in 2021. When my eight-year-old son and I arrived at the bucolic Morton Arboretum (4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL 60532, … Continue reading Joe the Guardian, Sneaky Socks Alexa, and the Other Trolls Are Waiting to Be Discovered at The Morton Arboretum
Nature in Chicagoland 