Swallow Cliff Woods - Nature in Chicagoland

Goodbye 2025…Hello 2026!

January 1, 2026January 1, 2026 by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, birdwatching, Chicago, hiking, Illinois, kids activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG I want to thank my “Nature in Chicagoland” readers for visiting my blog in 2025. I’m grateful to those who take the time to read my stories and correspond with me about nature in Chicagoland. I continue to love writing this blog (which I've … Continue reading Goodbye 2025…Hello 2026!

Swallow Cliff Woods: Exercise and Go Sledding on a 100-Foot Bluff

January 27, 2025January 28, 2026 by anders458, posted in Uncategorized, @FPDCC, birdwatching, fall colors, Forest Preserve of Cook County, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, sledding, snowshoeing, spring wildflowers, volunteering, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED JANUARY 2026 The original 125-steps of the famous Swallow Cliff Stairs. Tucked amidst miles of peaceful forest preserves, Swallow Cliff Woods-North, in Cook County, Illinois (near Palos Park), has been a busy place for nearly 100 years, if not more. In 1930, the Civilian … Continue reading Swallow Cliff Woods: Exercise and Go Sledding on a 100-Foot Bluff

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.