BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG I love photography and took a gazillion photos last year. Okay, I don’t have a firm number but take my word for it that I took MANY photos—of nature, family, friends, concerts, bars, bands, cool architecture, art, historical spots, you name it. I’m sure most … Continue reading My Favorite 32 Photos That I Took Last Year
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG I'm taking a break from nature to spotlight one of my favorite books of 2025 and present an interview with its author, Orla Mackey. More articles about nature in Chicagoland (including Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve, Markham-Gensburg Prairie, and Garfield Park Conservatory) coming soon. Small towns … Continue reading Interview/Book Review: Orla Mackey’s “Mouthing” Provides a Witty and Thoughtful Look at a Rural Irish Community
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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I wrote many stories about nature destinations in 2024, but I also explored other topics that were near and dear to my heart including writing about family memories, sharing feedback from a first-time trip to Iceland (that article is actually a nature/culture/travelogue combo), contemplating the … Continue reading The Most-Popular Non-Nature Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in 2024
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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND This rock (all 9.9 ounces) fits perfectly into the palm of my hand. It was my constant companion when I solo hiked a portion of the 144-mile Maah Deh Hay Trail in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). TRNP is wild and beautiful—buttes, badlands, and grasslands that overlook … Continue reading The Story of a Rock, a Bison, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Wanderlust, and Summer Adventures Out West
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED FEBRUARY 2026 The criminal invasion of Ukraine by Russia has captivated, saddened, and disgusted me all week. How could something like this happen in 2022? But, sometimes, I think people—especially those of us living in the West—believe we have achieved some state … Continue reading A Painted Flag, Thoughts on the Invasion of Ukraine, and 9 Organizations That You Can Donate to in Support of the Ukrainian People
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
That’s what Michigan resident Caleb Stevens did in 2017. The now 23-year-old, who spent two years at West Point, decided to join a Kurdish militia allied with the U.S. that was fighting ISIS in Syria. Yes, that ISIS. The one that beheads, burns, rapes, otherwise tortures, and kills people, and that once controlled large swathes … Continue reading Would You Travel 6,200 Miles to Fight Evil?
I’m breaking the rules today at Nature in Chicagoland. Normally, I only write about destinations within a day’s drive of Chicago, but unless you have some sort of secret Elon Musk-hypersonic-technology, Petra, Jordan, is definitely not a day trip from Chicago. It’s definitely not even a weekend trip from Chicago. For crying out loud, it’s … Continue reading Visiting the Rose City in Jordan