Steelworkers Park - Nature in Chicagoland

Goodbye 2023…Hello 2024!

January 1, 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!

Steelworkers Park: Opportunities to Climb a 30-Foot Ore Wall, Learn About Chicago’s Industrial History, and Enjoy Nature

October 10, 2023October 22, 2023 by anders458, posted in biking, birdwatching, bouldering, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, climbing, conservation, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, Lake Michigan, local history, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized

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

Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 11 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City

June 2, 2022February 28, 2025 by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, biking, birdwatching, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, fall colors, fishing, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, prairies, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED FEBRUARY 2025 Chicago has a population of nearly 2.7 million people, more than 4,000 miles of streets, and large industrial areas with factories spewing pollution into the air, the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan. Like most U.S. cities, it also has problems with crime, racial inequity, … Continue reading Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Chicago Anymore: 11 Nature Destinations Where You’ll Swear That You’re Not in the City

Welcome to my blog. Nature in Chicagoland covers the joy of nature—whether it's in a forest preserve or state or national park or just in a local park or your own backyard. It also covers meteorology; geology; astronomy; environmental restoration, protection, and sustainability; local history; and nearby colleges and universities that offer environmental-related majors. In my definition, "Chicagoland" consists of Chicago, its suburbs, and any natural destination that's within a day's drive of our great city. Thanks for reading.