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 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
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
40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a pond--all on Chicago's South Side Troll-hunting at Morton Arboretum (act fast; they're going away next spring) Beautiful, secluded beaches, towering sand dunes, and top-notch hiking trails just 50 miles from Chicago Secluded beaches, towering cliffs, great camping, shipwrecks, and lighthouses Great hiking and fantastic views of … Continue reading The 10 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2019
We came, we readied our 10-foot inflatable kayak, we floated placidly at times down the winding creek with the sun shining down on us, we were wowed by the wildlife and wildflowers, we paddled vigorously buffeted by high wind at other times, and we had a lot of fun and faced a few challenges, but … Continue reading Nippersink Creek Provides a Great Kayaking or Canoeing Adventure Just an Hour From Chicago
Spring is here in Chicagoland—at least if you look at the calendar, but not the thermometer. Warmer weather is on the horizon, and summer will be here in no time. But before the hot, stifling days of summer are upon us, here are 15 things you should do outdoors this spring in Chicagoland: Photo courtesy … Continue reading 15 Things to Do Outdoors This Spring in Chicagoland
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2017 AND HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED; CHECK WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS AND NATURE CENTERS BELOW FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION Local parks, forest preserves, botanical gardens, zoos, arboretums, and national parks in Chicagoland offer a variety of Halloween activities … Continue reading More Than 20 Halloween-Related Events Available for Kids in Chicagoland Forest Preserves, Parks, Zoos, and Other Nature Areas