BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG
Crabtree Nature Center (3 Stover Road, Barrington, IL 60010 Phone 847-381-6592) is one of six nature centers that are operated by Forest Preserves of Cook County. We’re lucky to have such beautiful nature centers in Cook County. They provide access to hiking trails, nature exhibits and classes, and much more. They also help city folks and suburbanites learn about the importance of protecting the environment and the connection between healthy grasslands, forests, wetlands, lakes, and rivers and our own health and the well-being of society.
But beyond all these “big ideas,” nature centers are fun—especially for children. Crabtree Nature Center is a fun place to take your kids. Just a short hike from the nature center, there is a Nature Play Area, where your kids can participate in a variety of hands-on nature activities to develop their imagination and creativity and learn about the natural world. They can climb a row of tree stumps or a pile of wood chips, crawl across a massive “spider web,” lift up log slices to see what’s under them, guess the age of a tree (with the help of some resources that are provided), and engage in other nature explorations. In addition, Crabtree Nature Center offers scheduled events in which children can learn how to safely shoot a bow and arrow (the arrows feature soft, blunt tips), learn how to climb a tree (while wearing a harness and safety gear), and participate in other hands-on activities.
Your kids or grandkids will also love the recently renovated nature center, where they can view many types of fish, turtles, snakes, and other animals; learn about ecosystems; and participate in a variety of enjoyable activities. There are also outside enclosures that house a barred owl, red-tailed hawk, and great horned owl.
I visited Crabtree Nature Center earlier this week after first hiking at Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve (look for an article on this Lake County gem in the next few weeks). It was a beautiful sunny day in the high 80s, and I walked in solitude for much of my time on the trails.
In addition to its Nature Play Area, Crabtree Nature Center has a lot more to offer visitors. Here are six more things that you can do or see at the center:
Go Hiking
Hike the nature center’s beautiful trails that travel along Crabtree Lake, Sulky Pond, and Bulrush Pond, as well as through forests, gentle hills (formed by glaciers tens of thousands of years ago), prairies, and marshes. Paths include the Bur Edge Trail (1.4 miles), Phantom Prairie Trail (1.4 miles), and Giant’s Hollow Trail (0.2 miles). The trails connect in a loop, so you can make a short trek or a long one depending on your interests. Last week, I walked the Bur Edge Trail. I saw a green heron, ducks, and a swan on the pond, and a variety of birds, butterflies, and dragonflies in the air. The trail is made up of stones and occasional dirt, and there are many benches if you’d like to take a break during your hike. I also checked out the bird viewing blind (which includes a viewing scope) on Crabtree Lake. Many, many flowers were in bloom, including sawtooth sunflowers, several types of asters, fleabane, many goldenrod blooms, and a few phlox here and there.
The Phantom Prairie Trail also provides a great hike but note that there is not a lot of shade on the trail, so be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat. Here’s a trail map.
Go Birdwatching
Nearly 250 bird species have been sighted at the nature center. Some species that you might see include red-winged blackbirds, woodcocks, lesser scaups, great horned owls, black-capped chickadees, white-throated sparrows, sandhill cranes, dark-eyed juncos, nuthatches, red-bellied woodpeckers, chickadees, mallard ducks, geese, song sparrows, green-winged teals, northern shovelers, double-crested cormorants, bald eagles, pelicans, great blue herons, and geese. Click here for a list of birds sighted at the nature center.
See a Variety of Other Animals
During your wanderings in this 1,000+-acre nature preserve, you might see deer, coyotes, beavers, muskrats, foxes, green frogs, spring peepers, turtles, butterflies, and dragonflies.
Enjoy the Blooms
During your visit, you can view colorful wildflowers such as Jack-in-the-pulpit and Dutchman’s breeches (in the spring), swamp rose mallow (in mid-summer to early fall), and goldenrods, asters, and bottle gentian (in late fall).
Participate in an Outdoor Education Activity
Recent events included: Autumn Voyagers; How to Do Nothing for Overwintering Pollinators; Wee Wandering Wednesdays; Evening Jack O’Lantern Ramble; Fall Art; Waterfowl Watch; Prescribed Fire; and Pride Night. Contact the center for information about upcoming events.
Volunteer
Since its purchase in the 1960s, volunteers have been working hard to restore Crabtree Nature Preserve to its original state before trees were felled by homesteaders, prairies were plowed, and marshes dredged or drained. So, why not lend a hand and volunteer at the preserve. Opportunities are available for adults and children. Volunteers remove weeds and invasive vegetation, collect and spread native seed, collect trash, and perform other tasks. “All necessary tools, supplies, gloves, and training will be provided,” according to the center’s website.
Stewardship volunteer days are held each Friday. Click here for a schedule and to sign up to volunteer.
That’s just the start of what you can do at Crabtree Nature Center. Visit the center for a hike, some nature play, or to see the wildflowers or fall colors—or check out a nature center in your area. You won’t be disappointed.
Before You Go
Check out the center’s Facebook page here.
Hours: March to October: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Fridays; November to February: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Fridays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day
No-Nos: No dogs (except service dogs) allowed. No fishing. Bicycles are only allowed in Nature Center parking lots, or at provided bike racks.
Nearby Nature Destinations: Arthur L. Janura Preserve, Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, Deer Grove Forest Preserve, Ned Brown Preserve, Paul Douglas Preserve, Spring Lake Forest Preserve, Spring Valley Nature Center
Copyright (text): Andrew Morkes, except quoted material
Copyright (photos): Andrew Morkes, except photo of my son in the nature center (copyright Amy McKenna)
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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 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)