BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG AND BOOK
BREAKING NEWS: A small, but beautiful, nature spot, is hiding in plain sight just off U.S. Route 14 in Harvard, Illinois. I’ve traveled north on U.S. 14 to Walworth, Wisconsin, for Thanksgiving and other holidays for decades, but I never noticed Gateway Nature Park. Maybe I was distracted by my young son (in the old days) repeatedly asking “When are we going to get there?” from the back seat, talk of making our traditional donut stop in Harvard, or a good song on the radio (I’m an 80s/90s alternative music lover . . . because I’m old, and the music is great). Gateway Nature Park is located on Heritage Lane—where you can park—just southwest of the Rt. 14/Rt. 23 intersection.
The Land Conservancy of McHenry County manages eight preserves (including Gateway Nature Park) that are open to the public, and it recently promoted a driving tour of these properties. (Information on the tour, a printable map, and descriptions of the sites are available here.)
Two weeks, I decided to spend a day away from my sometimes-boring work life in front of a computer to see as many of the conservancy’s spots as possible (including Gateway). It was the kind of summer day in the Midwest that makes you feel like the subzero temps and snowstorms of a Midwest winter may never happen again. But 56 years in the Midwest provides me with a reality check each year despite my wishful thinking. During my travels through McHenry County, I saw horses, sheep, and cows. And more horses, sheep, and cows. (Farmland comprises about 60 percent of the county, according to McHenry County Economic Development Corporation). Big skies. Lots of American flags—waving in the sky, painted on barns, and assembled en-masse in a public space to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary.
Gateway Nature Park was my fourth stop of the day, after visiting Hennen Conservation Area, Kishwaukee Headwaters Conservation Area, and Yonder Prairie (which are all located in Woodstock, Illinois).
The conservancy reports that there are four natural communities at Gateway Nature Park:
- rare oak savanna (less than 1 percent of oak savannas remain in Illinois)
- prairie
- biodiversity-rich sedge meadow
- Rush Creek, one of the few unchannelized creeks in McHenry County
One of the first things that you’ll see at Gateway is a massive 350-year-old bur oak. In 1675, when this oak was likely a tiny sapling, the U.S. was still a century from being founded. What is now northern and north central Illinois was the home of Sauk, Mesquakie, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, Peoria, Winnebago, and Illiniwek tribes. French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet had explored northern Illinois (but not the area that now comprises McHenry County) in 1673. During this time, they navigated the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers and met the Kaskaskia Indians near present-day Utica, Illinois.
Back to present times.
A nearly one-mile trail (with two loops) is available at Gateway Nature Park. After checking out the 350-year-old oak, I headed northwest on the larger loop trail and admired the blue vervain, black-eyed Susans, goldenrod, and hedge bindweed, which were in bloom. The conservancy notes that you’re also likely to see trillium, Solomon’s seal, and Culver’s root depending on the time of the year that you visit. The trail crosses Rush Creek in two spots. The creek is narrow and meandering, and it was hard to get a good look at it because of the dense late summer growth at the park. During your visit, try to spot some brook sticklebacks, scaleless, feisty (according to the conservancy) fish that are only found in high-quality headwater streams such as Rush Creek. Brook sticklebacks, which only reach a maximum length of three and one-half inches, have four to six little spines along their backs.
I didn’t see any sticklebacks, but I did see and hear many birds. Nearly 30 species have been sighted at the park, according to eBird. Species include indigo buntings, swamp sparrows, common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, barn swallows, American goldfinches, northern yellow warblers, American tree sparrows, killdeers, Cooper’s hawks, red-tailed hawks, red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, northern flickers, white-breasted nuthatches, dark-eyed juncos, and Baltimore orioles.
At 17.5 acres, Gateway Nature Park is not an all-day destination, but it’s a nice spot for a short hike and a respite from the world. Given its proximity to major roads, you’ll occasionally hear traffic as you walk the trails, but I tuned that out as I immersed myself in the sights and sounds of the park.
Before You Go
Gateway Nature Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Dogs are allowed, but they must be on leashes.
Consider volunteering at one of the conservancy’s properties. Volunteer opportunities are available in areas such as seed collecting, community event, community food forest, restoration, and wildlife monitoring. An internship program, as well as conservancy membership, are also available. Finally, check out the conservancy’s blog, YouTube channel, and Field Notes for more information about its activities.
Food for Thought: We were once a nation of farmers, but that’s no longer true. In 1840, almost 70 percent of the American labor force worked in agriculture, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Today, farmers and ranchers comprise just 1.3 percent of the employed U.S. population.
Road Nerd Facts: U.S. 14, at 1,445 miles long, is one of the original United States Numbered Highways of 1926. From the east, U.S. 14 begins in Chicago, Illinois, and its western terminus is located at the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
Copyright (text): © Andrew Morkes
Copyright (photos): © Andrew Morkes, except the following fish and bird photos:
Brook Stickleback, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
American Tree Sparrow, Dave Menke, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS); American Tree Sparrow, Tom Koerner, USFWS; Baltimore Oriole, Jim Hudgins, USFWS; Barn Swallow, Tom Koerner, USFWS; Common Grackle, Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, USFWS; Cooper’s Hawk, Jim Hudgins, USFWS; Dark-Eyed Junco, Courtney Celley, USFWS; Downy Woodpecker, David Ellis, USFWS; Northern Flicker, Jeff Lemons, USFWS; Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Michael Schramm, USFWS; Red-Winged Blackbird, Peter Pearsall, USFWS; White-Breasted Nuthatch, Courtney Celley, USFWS; American Goldfinch, Gary Kramer, USFWS; American Tree Sparrow, Dave Menke, USFWS; Baltimore Oriole, Hanna McBrearty, USFWS; Cooper’s Hawk, Lane Wintermute, USFWS; White-Breasted Nuthatch, Bill Thompson, USFWS
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’ve 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 80 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including Infobase (such as the venerable Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance, College Readiness: The Vault Guide for High School Juniors and Seniors, the Vault Career Guide to Consulting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus, Discovering Careers, What Can I Do Now?!, and Career Skills Library series), Lerner Publishing, and Mason Crest (including those in the Careers in the Building Trades, Hands-On Careers, Social Media Today, Woman in STEM Careers, Getting Started, and Cool Careers in Science series). Many titles that I have written and edited have received positive reviews in Booklist; Voice of Youth Advocates; Library Bookwatch; CHOICE, a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries (a division of the American Library Association); and other publications.
Here’s a list of the environmental- and clean energy-focused titles that I’ve written or co-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)
- Women in Environmental Sciences (Women in STEM Careers)
Articles about my work have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Practical Homeschooling, and other publications. My photographs of musicians, artists, and the natural world have been published in several books. My poetry has been published in Cadence, Wisconsin Review, Poetry Motel, Strong Coffee, and Mid-America Review. As an amateur artist, I’m pleased to say that four of my paintings were included in the 2025 Beverly Art Walk.