9 Things to Do at Marengo Ridge Conservation Area

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG

In late September, I spent a morning hiking at the beautiful Marengo Ridge Conservation Area (Entrance: 2411 N. Route 23, Marengo) in McHenry County, Illinois. The sky was bright blue. The temperature was in the mid-70s. There was ample birdsong and the steady sound of acorns and black walnut pods hitting the ground (and occasionally hitting me on the head). Several types of asters, a few sunflowers, and lots of goldenrod were still in bloom.

Marengo Ridge Conservation Area sits on the Marengo Ridge, which was created about 24,000 years ago by the retreating Wisconsin glacier. “The Marengo Ridge moraine is 40 miles long, 3 miles wide, and creates one of the steepest, vertical moraines in Illinois at 1,050 feet above sea level,” according to the McHenry County Conservation District (MCCD). “The ridge is made up of rocks, gravel, sand and finer sediments that were carried within or pushed ahead of the ice sheet as it advanced and left behind as it melted.”

There are many things you can do at Marengo Ridge. Here are nine suggestions.

Go Hiking

Marengo Ridge has 7.4 miles of trails. Some are flat and easy, while others are more challenging. The trails travel through over 818 acres of oak and hickory woodlands. You’ll also see aspen, spruce, ash, and sumac groves. And conifers! Dr. Emerson Kunde, the former owner of the land, planted more than 10,000 pine trees (15 species in all, including Norway spruce, Douglas fir, and red and Scotch pine) on 60 acres in what is now an area of the preserve to try to improve the land after overgrazing.

I hiked about 3 miles, including the Kelly Hertel Nature Trail and Long Hiking Loop, as well as portions of the South Hiking Loop.

The Long Hiking Loop was pleasant, but I really liked the Kelly Hertel Nature Trail, which was more isolated and rugged. The terrain is demanding and hilly and it’s bisected by many seasonal creeks, which drain into the Kishwaukee River. The hiking trails are often quite wide and consist of either mowed grass or dirt/stone. You’ll also pass occasional big boulders that were left by the retreating glacier. As a first-time visitor, I would have liked to see a little more trail signage, but since the trails are mostly loops it’s difficult to get lost.

The South Hiking Loop, 1.25 miles (near Shelter #2) offers beautiful views of the prairies and rolling hills of McHenry County. More flowers were in bloom at this location, and I enjoyed the vivid color show. There are several other trails (including the South Spur to River Road Trail (1 mile) and the South Spur Loop (1.4 miles), which I hope to hike in the future.

Click here for a trail map.

Enjoy Birdwatching

More than 170 bird species have been sighted at Marengo Ridge, according to eBird.com. During a visit, you might see wild turkeys, great-horned owls, Eastern kingbirds, broad-winged hawks, white-breasted nuthatches, red-eyed vireos, scarlet tanagers, great egrets, Northern flickers, indigo buntings, downy woodpeckers, cedar waxwings, and great-crested flycatchers.

Go Camping

Marengo Ridge offers two camping options. There’s an exclusive use campground for one to 100 people that’s open from the first Friday in April to the last Sunday in November. In addition, Thomas Woods Campground offers 29 individual tent sites and 18 RV sites that can be reserved. This campground remains open for winter camping.

Click here for a list of all camping locations that are offered by the McHenry County Conservation District.

Enjoy a Picnic

Picnic Shelter #1 (80-person capacity), Picnic Shelter #2 (50-person capacity), and a Picnic Area (50-person capacity) can be reserved online or by calling the district’s administrative office (815/338-6223). Picnic Shelter #2 offers some great elevated views of the area’s rolling hills. At this shelter, you can access the South Hiking Loop and its Spur Trail. Restrooms, drinking water, and a fire ring are also available near the main parking lot.

Cast a Line and Go Fishing

There’s a one-acre, human-made pond that’s adjacent to the Thomas Woods Campground. It’s fed by a stream that flows into the Kishwaukee River.

Enjoy the Natural World in All Seasons

The district reports that more than 300 native plants are found at Marengo Ridge, and there are 14 different species of butterflies, In the spring, the hills of Marengo Ridge come alive with columbine, wild geranium, and Jack-in-the-pulpit. During summer and fall, you’ll see black-eyed-Susans, asters, and a variety of native grasses. In the fall, the preserve’s trees provide a vivid color show. Winter brings peace and solitude to the forests and prairies of Marengo Ridge, but an increasing number of visitors are enjoying the charms of winter hikes and other outdoor activities.

Participate in Winter Sports

Cross-country skiing is available when four or more inches of snow have fallen. There is a 2.2-mile trail for beginners, and a 2.3-mile trail for intermediate skiers. Snowshoeing is another option.

Enjoy Stargazing

Stars, meteors, comets, the Northern Lights, and other celestial phenomena can be viewed in the dark skies of McHenry County from the front parking lots (before the locked gates). This option is available via use of a free permit. Interested stargazers must call 815/338-6223, ext. 1211 at least 48 hours in advance, or by Thursday at noon for upcoming Saturday/Sunday stargazing. Alcohol is not permitted, and visitors must stay in the parking lot for only the approved hours on their permits. These who camp at Marengo Ridge can, of course, also enjoy stargazing.

Participate in Scheduled Events

The MCCD sponsors a wide range of activities for people of all ages. Here are some upcoming events. Click here for upcoming events at all MCCD properties.

Enchanting Evergreens, December 21, 2024

Storytime on the Trail, January 25, 2025

Marengo Ridge Conservation Area is open daily, sunrise to sunset.

Here are my articles about two other great destinations in the McHenry County Conservation District:

Coral Woods Conservation Area: A Splendid Chicagoland Nature Destination in All Seasons

Nippersink Creek Provides a Great Kayaking or Canoeing Adventure Just an Hour From Chicago (Glacial Park)

Main photo: Indigo Bunting, Michael Schramm, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Columbine, Jessica Bolser, USFWS; Great Horned Owl, Bill Moses, USFWS; Wild Geranium, Courtney Celley, USFWS

Bird/Mammal Photo Montage: Coyote, Peter Eades, USFWS; Great Horned Owl, Bill Moses, USFWS; White-Breasted Nuthatch, Bill Thompson, USFWS; Downy Woodpecker, David Ellis, USFWS; Great Egret, National Park Service, Doshkov; Wild Turkey, Lisa Hupp, USFWS

Plants Montage: Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Courtney Celley, USFWS; Woodland Sunflower, Sand Ridge Nature Center

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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 $19.99. Nature in Chicagoland received great reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown, This Week in Birding blog, and Beverly Review.

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)