Wandering Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca, Illinois

Hiking Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca, Illinois

Songbird Slough Trail in Itasca is a shorter trail that will take you through wetlands, meadows and prairies. You will see picturesque wooded spots from the trail. However, the trail is not covered so you will not benefit from shade. The preserve makes up for a lack of shade with beauty. Songbird Lake, which is a remnant of a glacially formed shallow lake known as a slough, is stocked for fishing adding another element to the preserve. Songbird Slough Forest Preserve certainly is a treasure in Itasca!

Trees emerging in the distance at Songbird Slough Forest Preserve.

We explored along a 1-mile paved trail through the preserve. Wildflowers blazed throughout the preserve. They attracted quite a number of butterflies which were a joy to watch.

Wildflowers sparkled throughout the preserve.

We quickly learned that the preserve is perfect for observing airplanes coming in to land at O'Hare Airport. I wish we had known about this spot when my daughter was younger! She would have loved trying to identify the planes. Songbird Slough Forest Preserve is perfect for taking your little one out on a picnic!

Airplane flying over Songbird Slough Forest Preserve.

Songbird Slough is a vital nesting spot for migratory grassland birds and songbirds. At least 200 different species of bird have been recorded at the preserve. The preserve is considered a birding hot spot and is particularly active during migration. We saw quite a few birds especially where the trail wound near trees.

You can see the merging of ecosystems a bit here -- no wonder birds love Songbird Slough:

Songbird Slough Forest Preserve is a favorite for migratory birds.

Overall, we found Songbird Slough Forest Preserve to be beautiful. The preserve does get a little noisy because of the planes flying overhead. However, the wildflowers were stunning and varied. Plus, you can take little paths down to the lake or even enjoy a picnic on the grass or at a table. You also pair Songbird Slough Trail with Springbrook Nature Center for a longer day exploring nature in Itasca!