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
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024 I'M TAKING A BREAK FROM NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND TO SHARE SOME STORIES ABOUT OUR RECENT TRIP TO ICELAND; MORE CHICAGOLAND NATURE STORIES COMING SOON A few quick answers to questions I’ve been asked since I returned from our early-April trip … Continue reading 12 Great Destinations on Iceland’s South Coast and 26 Things You Should Know About This Magical Country Before Your First Trip
BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED AUGUST 2025 Looking for an adventure just 2.5 hours from Chicago? If so, check out Witkowsky State Wildlife Area, a 1,000-acre natural area that is located in far northwest Illinois in the Driftless Region. It’s just nine miles southeast of the historic … Continue reading 6 Things to Do at Witkowsky State Wildlife Area
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