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
If you’re looking for a little adventure just an hour from Chicago, you should visit Moraine Hills State Park (1510 S. River Road, McHenry, IL 60051). That’s what I did recently on an early spring day that started out in the high 40s and reached 62 degrees under a bright sun and blue skies. The … Continue reading Moraine Hills State Park: Rolling Hills, Top-Notch Hiking Trails, Winter Sports, and Much More
“The geese are having a blowout of an argument” was my first thought as I began hiking along the main trail that travels along a beautiful lake at Lake Renwick Preserve in Plainfield, Illinois. I heard a symphony of honking (although the geese lacked a conductor) that I estimated was coming from half a mile … Continue reading 5 Things to Do at Lake Renwick Preserve/Heron Rookery Nature Preserve
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF "NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND" UPDATED NOVEMBER 2025 The sight of migrating birds in the sky has always moved me—even if it’s just 20 or so geese flying in their familiar V-shaped formation. It’s nice to know that some cycles of nature remain after human actions have caused more than 865 … Continue reading Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area: THE Place to See the Great Eastern Sandhill Crane Migration Each Fall and Spring
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED JUNE 2024 Western Avenue between Peterson and Bryn Mawr Avenues is an urban speedway. Cars race through this densely-packed neighborhood as if there’s a pot of gold waiting at road’s end in each direction. (Western, by the way, is the longest road—24 … Continue reading West Ridge Nature Preserve: An Oasis in Chicago
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED JUNE 2024 You don’t expect to find 40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a pond in the middle of Chicago. But at Palmisano Park—a hidden gem at 27th and Halsted in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood—that’s just the case. This beautiful urban … Continue reading Palmisano Park: A Hidden Gem in Chicago
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED AUGUST 2023 Massive bugs are everywhere at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center (3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook, IL 60523, 630/850-8110), which is located in Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve. A five-foot-long praying mantis perches atop the entrance to the center, a large grasshopper peers down … Continue reading Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center: Big Bugs, Tons of Fun Activities for Kids, and Great Hiking Trails
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED 2023 “Will that cool sandbar still be at the lake like last year? Do you think the racoons will visit our campsite again? Can we make smores by the fire like last year?” These are just a few of the questions my seven-year-old … Continue reading Kohler-Andrae State Park: Camping, Surf and Sand, and Much More