9 Places to See Bison in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND BLOG

UPDATED JUNE 2025

Bison are an enduring symbol of the old American West—and our national mammal. Massive, powerful, and free, they linger in the American imagination unlike any other land animal except perhaps the bald eagle and grizzly bear. At their peak in the mid-1800s, an estimated 30 to 60 million bison ranged from Canada to northern Mexico and from the Plains to Eastern forests. The diaries of early settlers recorded herds of bison so vast that they took hours to pass. But the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, the indiscriminate killing of bison by white hunting parties (they often only took the animal’s tongue and hide, leaving the carcass to rot on the prairie), and a concerted effort by the U.S. military to deprive Native American tribes of one of their principal food sources during the Indian Wars decimated these vast herds. The tens of millions of bison were reduced to massive piles of bones and hides, and by about 1890, only 1,000 or so bison remained, including two dozen in Yellowstone National Park.

All seemed lost for the bison, but ranchers such as James “Scotty” Philip, the U.S. government, and others stepped in to save the last remaining bison. Today, there are approximately 30,000 bison in public and private herds in North America. The National Park Services reports that approximately 400,000 bison are raised as livestock, “however, wild bison are rare.” In the United States, nearly all are found in the West—especially in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho), Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota), Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota), and Santa Catalina Island (California).

Those who live in the West have plenty of opportunities to see bison, but did you know that there are nearly 10 places you can go to view bison in the wild in the Midwest? A few days ago, I visited one of these destinations: Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (815/423-6370), which is about 60 miles from city-center Chicago in Wilmington, Illinois. It is managed by the USDA Forest Service. Nearly 9,000 acres, including 33 miles of trails, are open to the public for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding. Midewin, which was established in 1996, is the first national tallgrass prairie in the country. More than 230 bird species have been sighted at the prairie, and 16 endangered or threatened species (including the loggerhead shrike), 23 species of reptiles and amphibians, 40 aquatic species, and 27 species of mammals make Midewin their home. There are also nearly 350 types of native plants.

High Hopes

My son and I, as well as Greg, a good friend of mine, and his children, started out from the northwest side of Chicago with high hopes to see bison—which last roamed wild in Illinois in 1808. (This was just a few years after Lewis & Clark returned from their epic exploration of the American West.) But when we arrived at Midewin, our first thoughts were on our growling stomachs, so we headed to Midewin’s visitor center to have a picnic lunch. The small, but interesting, facility offers exhibits that detail the site from its Native American era, to the time of white settlers, to its use as the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, and now as a grassland (and larger ecosystem) in the process of restoration. The kids will enjoy the bison hide they can touch and the small exhibits on bison bones and fossils. A bookstore, a pleasant outdoor picnic area, and guided tours and presentations on certain days of the year round out the offerings at the visitor center. (My book, Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit, is also on sale at the visitor center!)

More Bunkers Than Bison

After lunch, we headed to the Iron Bridge Trailhead, then began hiking in the hot sun. It is about a 90-minute, roundtrip hike to reach the bison viewing scopes. We walked amongst Golden Alexanders, Prairie Indian Plantains, Porcupine Grass, Tufted Hair Grass, and other wildflowers and grasses beneath vivid blue skies. The songs of birds and crickets were like a natural symphony as we traversed long stretches of prairie intermingled with savanna, wetlands, and the occasional breaks of forest. As we hiked, it was hard to believe that this area housed a massive ammunition facility during World War II. The USDA Forest Service’s ecological restoration efforts are impressive.

We eagerly scanned the horizon for bison, asked other hikers if they had sighted our quarry, and climbed a bench or two to get a better view of the long flat prairie (my tall friend came in handy for this task)—but to no avail. We didn’t see any bison, but we did see the remnants of two military armaments storage bunkers, which the kids enjoyed investigating.

The Quest Continues

A male bison can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds and reach 5’6” at the shoulder, but despite their massive size, the bison at Midewin did not report for duty (forgive the bad military pun) amidst the prairie. They are highly mobile animals that can run 30 to 45 miles per hour, and they are often on the move in a search for food. We searched and searched with no luck.

The day grew hotter and our kids’ patience grew shorter, so we headed back to the car, disappointed, but not defeated. Midewin is a work in progress and so is our search for the bison. With nature, sometimes you must play the long game and wait to be rewarded. What’s comforting is that the USDA Forest Service and dedicated volunteers are slowly creating an environmental jewel in the Chicago suburbs. Midewin is an excellent destination for hiking and nature watching and, someday soon, we’ll head back to see the bison.

A Few Tips for Visitors:

Be prepared to walk, and wear good hiking shoes, a hat, and lots of sunscreen. Midewin features vast stretches of prairie (without much shade), and you may have to hike long distances to see the bison (something our kids, ages 7-10, did not want to do on a hot early summer day).
Give yourself at least four hours on site to enjoy the prairie and increase your chances of seeing some bison.
Take advantage of the maps, animal and plant guides, and other resources at the Visitor Center. They’ll make your visit go smoother, and allow you to spot and enjoy some of the other natural life out on the prairie in case you don’t see any bison. You’ll be amazed at the exotic-looking spiders, lizards, and other animals that also live on the prairie.
Bring a good supply of water. No water is available once you leave the visitor center.
Pack binoculars. There is excellent birdwatching, and you can use the binoculars to spot the bison at a distance.
Be patient. This is not a zoo, so you may have to work (i.e., hike far) to see the bison. Enjoy the journey, soak up the sun and solitude (unless you’re trailed by three excitable children as Greg and I were), and don’t get caught up just pursuing the goal of seeing bison. There’s plenty more to do, and always another time to see the bison.
Other activities that are available include biking, outdoor science and learning, volunteering, and snowshoeing.

8 Other Spots in the Midwest to See Bison:

Illinois:

Fermilab (Batavia)
Nachusa Grasslands (Franklin Grove); check out my article, Nachusa: Nachusa Grasslands: See Bison, Savor Solitude, and Hike Through Biodiversity Hotspots
Buffalo Rock State Park (Ottawa); check out my article, Buffalo Rock State Park: Awesome Views of the Illinois River, Earth Art, and Tranquility

Indiana:

Kankakee Sands (Newton County) My article on this great destination: Kankakee Sands: Bison Hunting, Wide Open Spaces, and Great Hiking

Minnesota:

Blue Mounds State Park (near Luverne)
Minneopa State Park (near Mankato)

Iowa:

Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve (near Sioux City)

Wisconsin:

Sandhill Wildlife Area (near Wisconsin Rapids)

Copyright Andrew Morkes, 2017-25 (text/photos, except the photo of the piles of buffalo bones, which is courtesy of Wikipedia Commons)

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Looking for some other great nature destinations in Chicagoland? If so, check out my book, Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit. It features amazing destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Click on the title to learn more. The book has 306 pages and 210+ photos and is only $19.99.

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ABOUT ANDREW MORKES

I have been a writer and editor for more than 30 years. I’m the founder of College & Career Press (2002); the author and publisher of “The Morkes Report: College and Career Planning Trends” blog; and the author and publisher of Hot Health Care Careers: 30 Occupations With Fast Growth and Many New Job Openings; Nontraditional Careers for Women and Men: More Than 30 Great Jobs for Women and Men With Apprenticeships Through PhDs; They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 100 Interesting College Majors, which was selected as one of the best books of the year by the library journal Voice of Youth Advocates; and other titles. They Teach That in College!? provides more information on environmental- and sustainability-related majors such as Ecotourism, Range Management, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Built Environment, Sustainability Studies, and Sustainable Agriculture/Organic Farming. I also served as a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school for five years.

In addition to these publications, I’ve written more than 70 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including Infobase (such as the venerable Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance, the Vault Career Guide to Accounting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus, Discovering Careers, What Can I Do Now?!, and Career Skills Library series) and Mason Crest (including those in the Careers in the Building Trades and Cool Careers in Science series).

Here’s a list of the environmental-focused titles that I’ve written:

Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit
Wind Turbine Technicians (Great Careers Without a Bachelor’s Degree series)
Environmental Scientists (Cool Careers in Science series)
Renewable Energy Careers (Cool Careers in Science series)
Environment (Getting Started series)
Solar Power Technicians (Careers in Infrastructure series)

My poetry has appeared in Cadence, Wisconsin Review, Poetry Motel, Strong Coffee, and Mid-America Review.