BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND
I spent more than three blissful hours at Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve last Tuesday. I hiked more than 6 miles and, if you can believe the 1s and 0s, my phone told me that I’d walked up the equivalent of 32 floors during my hike. My aching muscles tell me that my iPhone was correct. I believe Cap Sauers is the wildest place in Cook County, and it’s been my favorite hiking spot in the area for the last 30 years. It features ravines and other rugged terrain, meandering creeks, a beautiful hidden prairie, and a rare glacial esker. I’ve seen coyotes, Great Blue Herons, and other beautiful animals at Cap Sauers. One time, I came upon thousands of pollywogs in a pool of water; any time I made a motion the future frogs churned the water as if a shark was below them. This 1,520-acre preserve Illinois Nature Preserve is the largest roadless area in Cook County. Illinois Nature Preserves protect the highest quality natural lands in the state. “These lands are the last remnants of the Illinois wilderness,” according to the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. (To enter the preserve, park at Teason’s Woods and travel west along the Sag Valley Yellow Unpaved Trail.)
Most of my blog posts at “Nature in Chicagoland” are detailed examinations of a nature destination or other topic that I want to spotlight. This post takes a more rapid-fire, stream-of-consciousness approach. If you’d like to read a more detailed article about Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve (which is located near Palos Park, Illinois), check out:
Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve: The Wildest Place in Cook County
I’ve also published this story about Cap Sauers:
Finally, I wrote a long poem, “The Hiker,” which is set partially at Cap Sauers.
A few random thoughts about Cap Sauers:
Don’t Always Believe the Weather Forecasters
Tuesday was forecast to be partly cloudy, but the sun shone nearly all day—so much that I ended up applying sunscreen. I was pleasantly surprised to soak in the sun as I explored Cap Sauers. And, in other weather commentary, I’m sad that Tom Skilling is retiring. A few years back, I wrote an article celebrating his moving reaction to the full eclipse. You can read it here. He will be missed.
The Leaves They Are A-Changin
I worried that I was too early for the fall color show as I passed trees loaded with green leaves, but all I had to do was hike a bit to discover that my concerns were unfounded. About 15 minutes west on the Yellow Trail (that begins across the street from the Teason’s Woods parking lot), I climbed a hill and I savored an explosion of reds, yellows, and oranges. A smile washed across my face because the sight was so sudden and beautiful. The fiery fall colors make the cooler temperatures and the shrinking hours of sunlight a little more palatable. This stand of trees will peak in the next week or few, and it’s an amazing sight to see both the trees and the forest floor covered in brightly colored leaves. Many other trees are near-peak or peaking, so be sure to get out to Cap Sauers soon.
Asters Are Fall Flower Superstars
All the other flowers have finished blooming at the preserve, except beautiful asters—native plants that are well-known for being some of the latest fall bloomers in Chicagoland. And the bees and other pollinators are grateful. I saw white heath aster, New England aster, and hairy aster as I walked. Amidst the asters, I also enjoyed the sight of vivid red rose hips of the Carolina Rose.
The Colors and Shadings of Fall Are an Impressionistic Painter’s Dream
There’s so much going on visually in our area forest preserves in the fall. The forests, prairies, and wetlands of October in Chicagoland feature swathes of orange and yellow prairie grasses, stretches of green, and islands of the last wildflowers in a panoramic view. Colors and textures change in a matter of a few feet as you walk—making the landscape interesting despite the absence of most wildflowers. And let’s not forget the special sunlight of fall. There’s something magical about the way the sun hits the landscape. I love the late-afternoon glow of a sunny, but cool, fall day.
Fall Makes Me Want to Celebrate the Small Wonders That Remain
I like being surprised by the sight of summer creatures still living life in the forests, prairies, and creeks. During my entire hike, I saw one bumblebee busily pollinating an aster. I accidentally scared a snake who’d been sunning itself on the path. Sorry, buddy. And one dragonfly zoomed back and forth over Visitation Prairie. I just learned that some species of dragonflies migrate. Did this guy or gal get left behind? Or did this Olympic-level flier arrive from the north ahead of his or her group? Additionally, the creeks were still full of minnows, but unlike my 2021 October visit, the frogs were already hibernating in the mud below.
Where are the Deer?
About 20 years ago at Cap Sauers, I took a lunch break along the banks of a creek. Suddenly a 10-point buck emerged from the woods and splashed through the water just feet away. He could have trampled me, but he was more interested in crossing and moving on. It was thrilling to be so close to such a large animal.
But times have changed. Deer are ubiquitous in the forest preserves of Cook County and beyond, but I haven’t seen a deer at Cap Sauers for at least five years. There also should be many more birds, but this is a worldwide problem that we need to address before many of our most beautiful species go extinct. Humans are brutal on our environment, but there are many things you can do to make the situation better. I’ve listed a few at the end of this article.
I Love Visitation Prairie
Visitation Prairie is the furthest place (about 1.2 miles) from a road in Cook County. I like to check out the prairie throughout the seasons. It’s wonderful to visit the prairie in early May when the plants are just sprouting and some are flowering (wood betony is one of my early favorites) and tiny snakes are sunning themselves on the prairie. And then follow the prairie’s development to early fall when the prairie grasses and some flowers (such as prairie dock) tower over your head. Sometimes it’s good to feel like a little speck in the vast world. It’s a humbling and centering feeling.
On Tuesday, I sat at the far edge of the prairie for about 45 minutes and soaked in the sun. It felt awesome. I watched the sun and clouds engage in an ever-changing battle for control of the sky, with the sun winning out often. The sky was so blue. I listened to the birds; the sounds of large, dried prairie dock leaves brushing together in the wind (they kind of sound like two pieces of sandpaper being rubbed together); and the thuds of dozens of acorns steadily dropping to the forest floor behind me. I have to admit that the thuds surprised me at first because they sounded like someone sneaking up behind me. It’s hard to lose your “Chicago city mind” when you’re in nature.
I lingered for as long as I could on the prairie, but eventually had to leave Cap Sauers to visit my mom. I made sure I left at a moment when the prairie was bathed in bright light (and not in shadow due to the occasional clouds). I wanted to remember the prairie as a sunny, warm place so as to keep my memory perfect throughout the cold winter months.
I Met Some Horseback Riders
There’s something wonderful about being in the middle of a beautiful prairie a mile or so from the nearest road, with the sun beaming down and blue skies above, and suddenly seeing horses heading your way. Something just made me smile when I saw the two nice ladies riding their horses. (They granted me permission to take their photos.) I must admit that I was envious. It reminded me of the days 30 years ago when I took horseback riding lessons and rented a horse for a month. My friend Vanessa and I would ride our beloved horses in the forest preserves near 95th and Kean Avenue. Seeing these riders brought back so many memories.
Hiking is a Zen Experience for Me
I love both stopping and savoring the sights and sounds of a large preserve such as Cap Sauers, but also sometimes moving swiftly through the landscape—one stride following the other and almost being lulled into a nature trance. As I get older (and see my loved ones who are in their 70s and 80s slow down), I savor my mobility and the ability to explore nature by foot miles from my car.
Hiking of this sort lets me forget my worries (as well as the problems of the world) and allows both my mind and body to heal a bit from the challenges of our crazy world.
The Esker is One of the Most Scenic Spots in the Preserves
I left the prairie and started my 30-minute walk back to the car via Cap Sauer’s esker trail. Perhaps you already know what an esker is, but if not, an esker is a narrow ridge made of sand and gravel that, thousands of years ago, was a river bottom on top of or at the bottom of a glacier. Forest Preserves of Cook County says that the esker at Cap Sauers is “one of the best examples of this rare feature in Illinois.” As you walk the esker trail, you’ll travel through dense forest, wetlands, and marshes, which are filled with wildflowers of varying types during the warm seasons. It’s a stunning walk (especially in late spring, summer, and early fall), and I wish this esker was my own. I would walk it every day if I could.
Final Thoughts
Head to Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve this fall to experience one of the wildest spots in Cook County. Enjoy a long hike and soak up the memories that will sustain you throughout our often cold winters. You won’t be disappointed.
Tips to protect the environment and our Birds and other beautiful creatures
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
- Drive less, and walk and bike more.
- Work as a volunteer at beach cleanups, in watershed protection, or in wildlife monitoring and management.
- Join the Openlands TreeKeepers, “an ever-growing community of tree ambassadors that care for the urban forest in Chicagoland.”
- Grow native plants, and replace your lawn with native grasses, sedges, wildflowers, and other plants.
- Use long-lasting light bulbs. The National Ocean Service says that “energy efficient light bulbs help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
- Use less water and purchase rain barrels to collect and re-use rain water.
- Choose non-toxic chemicals for household cleaning and other tasks.
- Make sustainable food choices.
- Use reusable shopping bags and eliminate the use of plastic bags.
Copyright (text/photos) Andrew Morkes
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Looking for some 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 $18.99.
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ABOUT ANDREW MORKES
I have been a writer and editor for nearly 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’m also a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school.
In addition to these publications, I’ve written more than 60 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)
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