BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED JULY 2024 Bright sunshine. Vast skies loaded with white, fluffy clouds. Warm gusts of wind. Butterflies and dragonflies. Absolute solitude. No 24-hour news cycle. In short: I had nothing to complain about during my visit last week to 320-acre Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve in … Continue reading 7 Things to Do at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED JUNE 2024 The compass plants, monarchs and other butterflies, prairie crayfish, and coyotes would not exist in this spot today if the city of Chicago went through with its plans decades ago to turn what is now 23-acre Dunning-Read Natural Area (4050 N. Oak … Continue reading Dunning-Read Natural Area: A Prairie Oasis in Chicago
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Summer officially began at 9:58 A.M. this morning, although I'm sure you've been enjoying our beautiful weather for awhile. But, despite global climate change, summer remains short in Chicagoland. In just a few months, our kids will be back in school, and a month or … Continue reading 17 Things to Do Outdoors in Chicagoland This Summer
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I was looking for the 650-foot-long turtle, but what I was really seeking was state park solitude. I'd visited two other Illinois state parks in LaSalle County earlier in the day. The first two were jammed with people enjoying the trails, deep sandstone canyons, … Continue reading Buffalo Rock State Park: Awesome Views of the Illinois River, Earth Art, and Tranquility
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 Nachusa Grasslands is a wild and wonderful place and an environmental restoration success story. And to top that, it has bison on-site. And there are sandstone cliffs to see and ponds and creeks to explore. What more can you ask for? The … Continue reading Nachusa Grasslands: See Bison, Savor Solitude, and Hike Through Biodiversity Hotspots
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Nestled near steel processing plants, a massive landfill, and busy railroad lines and roads lies a beautiful nature area that is an oasis for both resident and migrating birds. Hegewisch Marsh Park (13200-13298 S. Torrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60633) features 129 acres of native marsh, … Continue reading Hegewisch Marsh Park: Great Birdwatching and Hiking and an Inspiring Story of Ongoing Environmental Restoration
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Today is the six-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland, and I'm so happy to have written more than 225 articles about the woods, wetlands, prairies, lakes, and other natural areas that make up Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. I'm pleased that Nature in Chicagoland has … Continue reading Celebrating the Six-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Looking for a place where you can: view as many birds as possible have the chance to hike several miles on a loop trail enjoy some solitude visit someplace new If so, you should visit Pine Dunes Forest Preserve, which is located in Antioch, Illinois, … Continue reading Pine Dunes Forest Preserve: Birding, Biking, and Easy Hiking
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I want to thank my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2022. I continue to love writing this blog, and wish I had more time in my daily life to do so. I visited many nature destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West … Continue reading Goodbye 2022…Hello 2023!
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND The Forest Preserves of Cook County feature 70,000+ acres of beautiful public land. Its prairies, forests, wetlands, lakes, rivers, streams, and savannah provide excellent opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling, fishing, horseback riding, running, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, swimming, and other forms of outdoor recreation. It … Continue reading 8 Reasons You Should Vote Yes for the Cook County Forest Preserves on Election Day and 11 Spots to Visit