Category: canyons

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at My Nature in Chicagoland Blog in February 2026

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, books, breweries, camping, canoeing, canyons, cemeteries, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, Chicago stories, cross-country skiing, eskers, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, glacial kames, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG In case you missed them, these were the seven most-popular articles last month at my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, as selected by my readers. Click on the link below to access the articles.  1. Sixteen South Chicagoland Nature Wonders: Great Destinations on the South Side … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at My Nature in Chicagoland Blog in February 2026

Co-author of Beer Hiking Chicago Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, birdwatching, books, breweries, canyons, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, Indiana, kids activities, spring wildflowers, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG AND BOOK Jessica Sedgwick and her son Selden at Indiana Dunes Exploring natural areas in the Chicago area is fun in itself, given the wide range of our natural habitats (e.g., prairies, forests, canyons, lakes, rivers). But, it's even better when you can … Continue reading Co-author of Beer Hiking Chicago Discusses Great Nature and Hops Spots

Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, astronomy, biking, birdwatching, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, bouldering, camping, canoeing, canyons, cemeteries, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, Chicago River, Chicago stories, climbing, conservation, conservatories, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, Driftless Region, election candidates, eskers, fall colors, family and friends stories, far, far away from Chicago, farms, fens, fiction, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, gardening, ghost hunting, glacial kames, hiking, holiday gifts, horseback riding, Iceland, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, insects, Iowa, Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, Jordan, Kansas, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lee County (IL), local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, meteorology, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, museums, music, National Park Service, Native American History, nature art, nature calendars, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, orchids, Pennsylvania, pets, photography, poems, politics and the environment, prairies, presidents, product reviews, Rockford, Illinois, settlers and Indians, skywatching, sledding, snowshoeing, social issues, social justice, South Dakota, spring wildflowers, train travel, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. history, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, volunteering, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin, zoos

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” Today is the eighth anniversary of the founding of my blog, “Nature in Chicagoland,” and I’m so happy to have written nearly 300 articles about woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I’m pleased that my articles on … Continue reading Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

12 Great Destinations on Iceland’s South Coast and 26 Things You Should Know About This Magical Country Before Your First Trip

by anders458, posted in astronomy, birdwatching, canyons, far, far away from Chicago, hiking, Iceland, kids activities, waterfalls, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 I'M TAKING A BREAK FROM NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND TO SHARE SOME STORIES ABOUT OUR RECENT TRIP TO ICELAND; MORE CHICAGOLAND NATURE STORIES COMING SOON A few quick answers to questions I’ve been asked since I returned from our early-April trip … Continue reading 12 Great Destinations on Iceland’s South Coast and 26 Things You Should Know About This Magical Country Before Your First Trip

Celebrating the Seventh Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, Chicago stories, conservation, cross-country skiing, eskers, fall colors, family and friends stories, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, ghost hunting, glacial kames, hiking, holiday gifts, horseback riding, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, nature centers, Nature Conservancy, prairies, spring wildflowers, train travel, U.S. Forest Service, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" Today is the seventh anniversary of my blog, "Nature in Chicagoland," and I’m so happy to have written more than 260 articles about woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I’m pleased that my articles on "Nature in … Continue reading Celebrating the Seventh Anniversary of My Blog, Nature in Chicagoland

A Visit to Garden of the Gods Recreation Area Proves That Illinois is Not Just One Vast, Flat Cornfield

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, camping, canyons, fall colors, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, kids activities, spring wildflowers, U.S. Forest Service, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” During one spring weekend, my wife, son, and I took a 715-mile round-trip (reinforcing the flatness of most of Illinois); my son and his classmates competed at a state-wide science fair; and we visited the Garden of the Gods at Shawnee State Forest in far-southern … Continue reading A Visit to Garden of the Gods Recreation Area Proves That Illinois is Not Just One Vast, Flat Cornfield

Goodbye 2023…Hello 2024!

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, bouldering, camping, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, climbing, conservation, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, fall colors, farms, fens, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, glacial kames, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" I want to thank my "Nature in Chicagoland" readers for visiting my blog in 2023. Last year, my blog received the most reader views and visits in its nearly seven-year history, and I'm grateful to those who take the time to read my stories and … Continue reading Goodbye 2023…Hello 2024!

More Than 25 Illinois Nature Preserves to Visit to Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, canoeing, canyons, conservation, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, eskers, fall colors, fens, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, glacial kames, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND In 1963, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, which created the means of protecting the state’s rarest and most endangered landscapes. The act established the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) to “preserve, protect, and defend natural areas and endangered species … Continue reading More Than 25 Illinois Nature Preserves to Visit to Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission

Celebrating the Five-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, botanical gardens and arboretums, camping, canoeing, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, fall colors, fishing, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, ghost hunting, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, kayaking, kids activities, National Park Service, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the five-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, and I'm so happy to have written nearly 200 articles about the woods, wetlands, grasslands, prairies, lakes and other waterways, and other natural areas that make up Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I'm pleased that Nature … Continue reading Celebrating the Five-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland

Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022! 

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, books, canyons, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, fall colors, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake Michigan, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, prairies, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, waterfalls, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2021.  I visited 37 nature destinations in Illinois and Indiana last year, and 23 were new spots—including Rock Run Rookery Preserve, Buffalo Rock State Park, Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve, Casper Bluff Land & Water … Continue reading Goodbye 2021…Hello 2022!