Category: local history

Visit LaBagh Woods to Enjoy One of Chicago’s Best Birdwatching Spots   

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, Chicago, Chicago River, conservation, cross-country skiing, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, local history, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG Here are some crazy numbers about LaBagh Woods. Birders have recorded more than 220 bird species (according to eBird) in only 80 acres of natural areas and 80 acres of picnic groves at this beloved nature spot (Entrance: N. Cicero Avenue, north of W. … Continue reading Visit LaBagh Woods to Enjoy One of Chicago’s Best Birdwatching Spots   

Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve: Enjoy Peaceful Trails, Beautiful Views of the Fox River, and Excellent Birding

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, fall colors, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Fox River, hiking, Illinois, local history, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG  Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve (35W076 Villa Maria Road, St. Charles, IL 60174) is a small, but charming, 65-acre preserve with forest hills, deep ravines, and access to the Fox River. The Sisters of Mercy— an international community of Roman Catholic women religious—owned the property … Continue reading Tekakwitha Woods Forest Preserve: Enjoy Peaceful Trails, Beautiful Views of the Fox River, and Excellent Birding

The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in March 2026

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, breweries, camping, canoeing, Chicago, fall colors, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural resources, Illinois Nature preserves, Lake County Forest Preserves, Lake County Illinois attractions, local history, Minnesota, nature centers, prairies, spring wildflowers, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, waterfalls, winter activities, Wisconsin

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, based on reader viewing statistics. Click on the links below to access the articles.  1. 10 Places to See Bison in the Midwest 2. Palmisano Park: A … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in March 2026

Dan Ryan Woods: Urban Opportunities for Hiking, Biking, Picnicking, Fitness, and Winter Fun–Plus 20 Places to Hang Out in Beverly After Your Visit

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, Chicago, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, local history, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG Only a small percentage of Forest Preserves of Cook County land is located within the city limits of Chicago, and Dan Ryan Woods on the city's South Side is one of these properties. For more than a century, it’s been a popular place for … Continue reading Dan Ryan Woods: Urban Opportunities for Hiking, Biking, Picnicking, Fitness, and Winter Fun–Plus 20 Places to Hang Out in Beverly After Your Visit

Visit Spring Valley Nature Center & Heritage Farm for Great Hiking and Birdwatching, Fun Activities for Kids, and to Discover the Area’s German Heritage

by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, birdwatching, conservation, fall colors, farms, hiking, holiday gifts, Illinois, kids activities, local history, nature art, nature centers, prairies, settlers and Indians, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG They say that life is one big circle. But with the Chicagoland area being so vast, with a population of more than 9.2 million people, I sometimes doubt that. So who would’ve thought that I’d be hiking with my sixth-grade teacher (1980–81) nearly 45 years … Continue reading Visit Spring Valley Nature Center & Heritage Farm for Great Hiking and Birdwatching, Fun Activities for Kids, and to Discover the Area’s German Heritage

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

Coral Woods Conservation Area: A Splendid Chicagoland Nature Destination in All Seasons

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, conservation, cross-country skiing, fall colors, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, local history, MCHENRY COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, prairies, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG  If you’re looking for four-season, outdoor fun in Chicagoland, you should visit Coral Woods Conservation Area (7400 Somerset Drive, Marengo, IL 60152). There are three hiking trails that can be enjoyed in any season at this 808-acre gem in McHenry County. The 1.2-mile … Continue reading Coral Woods Conservation Area: A Splendid Chicagoland Nature Destination in All Seasons

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve: 8 Things to Do at This Biodiversity Hotspot

by anders458, posted in biking, birdwatching, cross-country skiing, Des Plaines River, fall colors, fishing, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, hiking, horseback riding, Illinois, kids activities, local history, prairies, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, waterfalls, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG If you’re looking for a vast, often-wild area (2,503 acres) to explore near Chicago, Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve (in Darien, illinois) is the perfect destination. This site is popular with hikers, runners, bicyclists, and other outdoor enthusiasts, but it is so large (and … Continue reading Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve: 8 Things to Do at This Biodiversity Hotspot

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

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!