BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Let me answer the question that many people have asked me lately: Would you take your son camping in this time of COVID-19? My answer: yes, if I can respond yes to the following questions: Are the current COVID-19 conditions in the area where I … Continue reading Tips for Camping With Kids During and After the Time of COVID-19
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 Looking for something to do this weekend and beyond? If so, check out these 30+ great places on Chicago’s South Side and in its south and southwest suburbs. I’ve also included Indiana Dunes National Park, one of our nation’s newest national parks, … Continue reading 30+ Great Destinations on Chicago’s South Side and in the Southland to Explore
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the three-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland. In the last 1,095 days, I’ve published more than 120 articles about the great outdoors. I've covered everything from eagle watching and views of the mighty Mississippi River at Mississippi Palisades State Park; to remnants of … Continue reading Celebrating the Three-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a fishing pond–all in a Chicago neighborhood 12 tips for a great winter hike 20+ museums, nature centers, and other destinations to visit in Chicagoland on a winter day 14 beautiful National Park destinations–start your spring and summer trip planning Great hiking and biking and remnants of … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in January 2020
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Planning a spring or summer road trip? If so, here are 14 of my favorite National Park Service destinations to check out. Six are located in the Midwest. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico): More than 120 caves. The park features the largest colony (estimated at about 400,000) … Continue reading 14 Amazing National Park Service Destinations for Spring and Summer Road Trips
copyright Andrew Morkes I’ve traveled thousands of miles to visit national parks, visited more than 100 natural and historic spots in Chicagoland, and lived in Chicago for 50 years, yet I’d still not visited the “tree-rific” (bad pun intended) Sand Ridge Nature Center (SRNC) (15891 Paxton Avenue, South Holland, IL 60473, 708-868-0606, Facebook) that’s less than … Continue reading Sand Ridge Nature Center: Indoor and Outdoor Education and Fun in All Seasons
North Park Village Nature Center, Chicago, Illinois (copyright Andrew Morkes) UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 For the 10 straight year, outdoor gear and sporting goods retailer REI has announced that it will close its 181 stores in the United States on Black Friday (November 29, the biggest shopping day of the year), process no online sales, and … Continue reading Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of REI’s #OptOutside Movement and 10+ Chicagoland Nature Spots to Visit on Black Friday and Beyond
UPDATED AUGUST 2025 Flat. Boring. These are two common words that come to mind when people think of much of the Midwest. But there's a special place in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin that features limestone bluffs, rolling hills, wooded valleys, waterfalls, creeks, wetlands, rivers, caves, Native American Effigy Mounds, and rare ecosystems and plant … Continue reading Author and Professor Discusses the Magical Driftless Area
The story of a 100-year-old home gobbled up by developers Ghost stories of Chicago's southwest suburbs and my own ghost story Hawks and hills, sloughs and snakes, and buried nuclear waste, oh my! 8 places to see bison in Chicagoland and the Midwest A beautiful and tranquil nature center on Chicago’s Southwest Side Beautiful, secluded … Continue reading The 10 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in September 2019
Congress finally did something right! Earlier this year, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IDNL) became Indiana Dunes National Park (IDNP), making it the country's 61st national park and the first in Indiana. The debate continues on whether Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore deserved national park status (a category that offers far more protections than other National Park … Continue reading Indiana Dunes National Park: Our Nation’s Newest National Park