Where: 7402 W. Lake Katherine Drive, Palos Heights, IL, 60463, 708/361-1873, Facebook, Map Open: Nature Center: Weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The park is open daily from dawn until dusk. Quick Review: A beautiful nature area with easy trails, a nature center with live animals and a play … Continue reading 11 Things to Do at Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens
The story of a fun journey from Chicago to Washington, DC, by train The wildest nature spot in Cook County The remnants of the Manhattan Project…and some great hiking and biking opportunities One of the best places to see spring flowers in Chicagoland A personal ghost story and tales of Resurrection Mary and other ghosts … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Stories at Nature in Chicagoland in May 2019
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
© Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center Spring has finally sprung in Chicagoland! If you look to the sky, you'll occasionally see hundreds of sandhill cranes, geese, ducks, and other migrating birds as they travel north (from their winter homes in northern Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, and other places) to their warm-weather breeding grounds in … Continue reading Spring Road Trip Idea: Visit Nebraska to Watch the Great Crane Migration
Today is the two-year anniversary of my blog, Nature in Chicagoland. In the last 730 days, I’ve published nearly 80 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 the Manhattan Project and great wildlife viewing in Red … Continue reading Celebrating the Two-Year Anniversary of Nature in Chicagoland
Chicagoland is currently playing the lead actor in a bomb of a play called "Polar Vortex." While you may not be able to take a long hike or go camping (unless you like risking frostbite after spending 30 minutes outdoors), there are many natured-oriented places, museums, and even an auto museum you can visit to … Continue reading 15+ Museums, Nature Centers, and Other Destinations to Visit in Chicagoland on a Teeth-Chattering Winter Day
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED FEBRUARY 2025 Winter hiking is the perfect antidote for a Saturday morning marathon of Netflix’s Nailed It. That’s what I discovered last Saturday as I managed, after several hours of finagling, to pull my 8-year-old son away from the amateur baking competition culinary-astrophe (just … Continue reading 12 Tips for a Successful Winter Hike in Chicagoland and Beyond
I want to send a 500-foot-tall, Godzilla-like thank you to all of my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2018. In about 30 blog posts and more than 46,000 words (I didn't count them, so I'll have to trust my data analytics software), I’ve covered everything from troll hunting, snow shoeing, and … Continue reading Hello 2019…Goodbye 2018!
Model Trains and Chicago Scenes at an Arboretum, Indoor Oases for Weather-Challenged Winter Weekends, A Book About an Illinois Environmental Legend, Trolls, The Wildest Place in Cook County, A Walk With My Son Amidst Political Chaos. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2018 based on page views … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2018
This weekend in Chicagoland is expected to be snowy and cold. While you may not be able to take a long hike or go camping, there are many natured-oriented places, museums, and even an auto museum you can visit to get out of the house and stay out of the snow and cold. Try the … Continue reading 9 Indoor Spots to Visit in Chicagoland During a Snowy Weekend