BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND BLOG
There’s nothing like a bird sighting to bring people together in nature.
After parking at McClaughrey Springs Woods, I began walking toward a bridge that overlooks Mill Creek, which meanders through the preserve. Several men with tripods, cameras, and lenses that seemed longer than baseball bats ( . . . seemed) were staring intently at the gravelly creek bed.
I tried to fake that I was looking at what they were looking at but my eyes were only seeing rocks, aquatic plants, and smooth-running water.
An older man came over and asked, “Did you see it?”
I was outed as a bad bird spotter. I said, “No, not yet.” He kindly pointed me to a beautiful sandpiper pecking away at perhaps snails, worms, or small crustaceans in the gravel. Their natural camouflage is impressive. The sandpiper was beautiful, and I took the sighting and the kindness of the hard-core birders as a good sign during my first visit to this nature gem in the Palos Forest Preserves near Palos Park, Illinois.
Eventually, the birders headed one way and I headed the other. I walked the trail that wound along the creek. Birdsong was in the air, the temperature was in the 60s, and the sky was a bright blue. I had the preserve to myself—at least for a short time. It was just the right prescription during a time in my life that has been challenging to say the least due to the serious health problems of a loved one.
It felt good to hike, and I have to say that it feels good to write again about my love of nature in our area and add another article to the nearly 300 I’ve already written about the forests, prairies, lakes, and lakeshores in Chicagoland. Hiking and writing is much better than spending hours in a hospital and rehab center—although it’s also fulfilling (and a responsibility) to lend support to our loved ones during tough times.
Back to my hike.
I worked my way along the creek, and the woods were awash with spring blooms—phlox, spring beauty, and Virginia bluebells along the creek, and marsh marigold near and in the creek on sandbars. Mayapples congregated in masses on the hillsides.
McClaughrey Springs Woods (Entrance: Kean Avenue, north of 119th Street, Cook County, IL 60464) is not a large nature area, but it’s a biodiversity hotspot between the blooms and the birds. More than 170 bird species have been sighted at the woods, according to eBird. Species include Barred Owl, Tufted Titmouse, Louisiana Waterthrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Double-crested Cormorant.
I was tempted to hike deeper into the woods on the hilly trails that head west. Rugged and densely wooded ridges and ravines await you there. They serve as a great reminder that not all of the Chicago area was flattened by glaciers tens of thousands of years ago. But I planned to also hike at Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve, which is one of my favorite spots in Forest Preserves of Cook County
But if you plan to do so, the McClaughrey Springs Woods parking lot is a good starting point for a long hike (or a shorter one if you choose). After exploring this beautiful preserve, consider taking the Yellow Trail (unpaved, intermediate difficulty) west through Swallow Cliff Woods-South, Cherry Hill Woods, and through the magnificent Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve. After reaching Cap Sauers, the Yellow Trail heads east through Teason’s Woods and Swallow Cliff Woods-North (climb the famous stairs if you’re not tuckered out from your hike) until reaching the McClaughrey Springs Woods parking lot on Kean Avenue where you started. Note: This is an 8-mile round trip. Here’s a helpful map.
Before You Go, Other Activities, and Random Thoughts
Where: Enter from Kean Avenue, north of 119th Street, Cook County, IL 60464 (near Palos Park)
Hours: Sunrise to sunset, year-round
Dogs: Allowed (on leash only)
Activities: Hiking, Bicycling, Birding, Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing
Picnic Grove: McClaughrey Springs Woods has one picnic grove, with a capacity of 100 people. Here’s a map of the grove, and the picnic and outdoor events permit page.
Consider Volunteering: Volunteers are needed to help return the area to its pre-settlement ecological condition. “Restoration activities focus on the removal of woody invasive species (honeysuckle and buckthorn) in the dormant season, removal of invasive herbaceous species (dames rocket, garlic mustard, and hedge parsley) in the spring, and when available collection and distribution of seeds of desirable native plants,” according to FPCC. Here’s a link to access more information about volunteering.
Nearby Nature Destinations: Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve, Cranberry Slough Nature Preserve, Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens, Red Gate Woods, Sag Quarries, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Swallow Cliff Woods, Tampier Slough Woods, Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve
A Few Thoughts About Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve
After my visit to McClaughrey Springs Woods, I spent four hours hiking at Cap Sauers. I’ve hiked at this preserve for more than 35 years—sometimes twice a week when I was in my 20s and fancy free. At 1,520 acres, it is the largest roadless area in Cook County. At Cap Sauers, you’ll find hiking, biking, and horseback trails; wetlands, marshes, and streams; savannah, prairie, and forest; and much more. I love this preserve so much that I’ve written three articles about it. Check them out below for more information.
Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve: The Wildest Place in Cook County
10 Thoughts About Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve and Fall in Chicagoland’s Forest Preserves
Copyright (text) Andrew Morkes; except the quote from FPCC
Copyright (photos) Andrew Morkes (except below)
Animal Photos (unless credited to Andrew Morkes): Belted Kingfisher, Michael Schramm, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Golden Eagle, USFWS; Sandhill Cranes, Courtney Celley, USFWS; Red-tailed Hawk, Mark Bohn, USFWS; Coyote, Tom Koerner, USFWS
Bird photos: Double-Crested Cormorant, Matt Poole, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); Great Horned Owl, Bill Moses, USFWS; Red-Tailed Hawk. Mark Bohn, USFWS; Egrets, Alex Galt-USFWS; Eastern Meadowlarks, Jim Hudgins, USFWS; Nashville Warblers, David True, USFWS; Ring-Necked Pheasant, Tom Koerner, USFWS; Dark-Eyed Junco, Courtney Celley, USFWS; Red-Headed Woodpecker, MarvinnAnn Patterson; Great Egret, Doshkov, National Park Service; Black-Capped Chickadee, Courtney Celley, USFWS; Egret (main), Doug Racine, USFWS; Red-tailed Hawk, Krista Lundgren, USFWS
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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)
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