BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND With so many of our natural spaces being closed to deter crowds in the age of COVID-19, it’s becoming a little harder to find places to hike, run, stroll, and otherwise enjoy nature. That where “The Ted” comes in. “The Ted,” which is officially named Thaddeus S. … Continue reading Try “The Ted” if You’re Looking for Some Nature in the Time of COVID-19
40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a fishing pond–all in a Chicago neighborhood Ghost stories of Chicago's southwest suburbs and my own ghost story Thoughts on hoarding, kindness, and COVID-19 12 wonderful, interesting, and fun things about my mom 75+ places to visit in the Chicagoland area and beyond Wild woods, local history, … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in March 2020
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
An excellent destination if you're tired of the flat, boring topography of most of Chicagoland A story of three funeral directors (one of whom was my father) 8 places to see bison in Chicagoland and the Midwest My endorsement for commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago The wildest nature destination in … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in February 2020
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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank all my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2019. In nearly 35 blog posts and more than 59,000 words (I didn’t count them, so I’ll have to trust my data analytics software), I’ve covered everything from an adventurous trip down … Continue reading Goodbye 2019!…Hello 2020
If you're still looking for holiday stocking stuffers, consider the following nature-oriented calendar and books. My friend TED GLASOE, an environmental advocate and an award-winning nature photographer who loves Lake Michigan even more than I do, offers a 2020 calendar that features breathtaking images of our beautiful inland sea. You can purchase it at his website, and … Continue reading A Lake Michigan Calendar and Nature Books to Fill Your Holiday Stockings
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
A beautiful, hilly area of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota that will have you saying, “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in the flat Midwest anymore.” A story about a company that puts its employees and protecting the environment ahead of profit 40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a pond–all in Chicago's Bridgeport … Continue reading The 8 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2019