Andrew Morkes shares his experiences hiking at Willow Springs Woods, highlighting its natural beauty through changing seasons. He describes the flora and fauna encountered during his visits, emphasizing the importance of restoration efforts. Morkes encourages others to explore this natural preserve and its connections to the broader Palos Trail System.
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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” During one spring weekend, my wife, son, and I took a 715-mile round-trip (reinforcing the flatness of most of Illinois); my son and his classmates competed at a state-wide science fair; and we visited the Garden of the Gods at Shawnee State Forest in far-southern … Continue reading A Visit to Garden of the Gods Recreation Area Proves That Illinois is Not Just One Vast, Flat Cornfield
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” Have you ever driven by a nearby nature center year-after-year without ever visiting? I have. But last month, I finally turned left rather than went straight and, within minutes, I was pulling into Emily Oaks Nature Center in Skokie, Illinois, on a sunny, blue-sky day … Continue reading 8 Things to Do at Emily Oaks Nature Center
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!
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND In 1963, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act, which created the means of protecting the state’s rarest and most endangered landscapes. The act established the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission (INPC) to “preserve, protect, and defend natural areas and endangered species … Continue reading More Than 25 Illinois Nature Preserves to Visit to Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Creation of the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED JULY 2024 Where do I start when trying to tell you about all the great things you can do and see at Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area? It’s hard to decide because Ryerson Conservation Area (which is also known as Ryerson Woods) is both … Continue reading Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area: A Hiker’s Heaven, a Biodiversity Hotspot, and Opportunities to Learn About Local History
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND The forested hills of Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve (41W600 Hughes Road, Elburn, IL 60119) reminded me of some sort of nature castle above the mostly flat farm fields that surrounded it. As I drove toward the preserve on a late-April day, farmers were at work … Continue reading Johnson’s Mound Forest Preserve: Enjoy a Challenging Hike on a Glacial Kame, Go Sledding, and Search for the Mysterious Face on a Tree
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND I spent more than three blissful hours at Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve last Tuesday. I hiked more than 6 miles and, if you can believe the 1s and 0s, my phone told me that I’d walked up the equivalent of 32 floors during my … Continue reading 10 Thoughts About Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve and Fall in Chicagoland’s Forest Preserves
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND Industrial, smoke-belching dragons once loomed along the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago. These steel mills were tended by tens of thousands of workers who manufactured the steel that was used to build the bridges, buildings, Pullman rail cars, and other structures of America. … Continue reading Steelworkers Park: Opportunities to Climb a 30-Foot Ore Wall, Learn About Chicago’s Industrial History, and Enjoy Nature