BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND”
Have you ever driven by a nearby nature center year-after-year without ever visiting?
I have.
But last month, I finally turned left rather than went straight and, within minutes, I was pulling into Emily Oaks Nature Center in Skokie, Illinois, on a sunny, blue-sky day that was in the mid-30s.
I should have made that turn years ago because I discovered that Emily Oaks Nature Center (4650 Brummel Street, Skokie, IL 60076, 847/674-1500, ext. 2500) is a beautiful nature center that offers pleasant hiking, nature watching, and nature-focused educational programs. Here are eight things that you can do at 13-acre Emily Oaks Nature Center:
1. Stroll a .33-mile trail around Kessem Pond, where you might see painted turtles and herons, ducks, and other waterfowl. This was my favorite hike during my visit because the shoreline views continuously changed and I had the pond trail almost all to myself.
2. Walk a .25-mile, loop trail that travels through towering oak trees.
3. Go birdwatching. More than 155 bird species have been sighted at Emily Oaks including Cooper’s hawks, red-bellied woodpeckers, dark-eyed juncos, American goldfinches, belted kingfishers, great horned owls, sandhill cranes, northern flickers, cedar waxwings, and black-crowned night herons. Click here for a list.
4. Enjoy more wildlife viewing that includes coyotes, flying squirrels, and other creatures.
5. Savor the native wildflowers and grasses and enjoy the fall colors.
6. Check out the small nature center (with very friendly staff) that offers programs for people of all ages, a small (very small) gift shop, and an interactive Woodland Wander Inn.
7. Check out some upcoming nature programs, including Forest Bathing (1/28/24), Groundhog Day Fireside (1/28/24), Ukelele for Campfires (1/31/24), Emily Oaks Book Club (2/1/24), Winter Wonder-fun! (1/4/24), and Snowshoe Clinic (1/7/24). Note: A fee is required for some programs. Click here for more information on the latest opportunities.
8. Take the kids to a large playground that is located next to the center’s parking lot.
Before You Go
Gate & Trail Hours
- Weekdays: 8 a.m.–sunset
- Saturday: 8 a.m.–sunset
- Sunday: 10 a.m.–sunset
Visitor Facility Hours
- Weekdays: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Restrooms are accessible via exterior doors near the pond whenever the nature center gate is open.
There is ample parking.
No dogs and other pets, picnicking, boating, bicycling (although you can access the Skokie Valley Bike Trail just outside the nature center’s grounds), fishing, alcohol, swimming, fires, or wildlife release/removal.
Meeting and birthday and other party room rentals are available.
You can take a virtual 360-degree tour by clicking here.
Volunteer opportunities are available. Learn more here.
Copyright Andrew Morkes (text)
Copyright Andrew Morkes (photos, except photo of red-bellied woodpecker by Michael Schramm, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)
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. Nature in Chicagoland received great reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown, This Week in Birding blog, and Beverly Review.
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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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