Gulf State Park offers natural gem after natural gem along the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama. The preserve's 28 miles of hiking trails welcome wanderers to a wealth of ecosystems enhancing a day or more of nature exploration. During my visit to Gulf Shores in Alabama, I benefitted from several days of adventures within Gulf State Park.
Skokie River Nature Preserve welcomes wilderness lovers with over 4 miles of trails in Lake Forest, Illinois. The preserve includes woodlands, prairie, meadows, and wetlands. Plus, a number of bridges allow hikers to crisscross the Skokie River. One visit and you will be enamored!
Bender Park in Oak Creek, Wisconsin offers visitors a number of hiking trails, lake views, and a beach not too far south of Milwaukee. On recent adventure up to Milwaukee, I wandered the trails of the preserve savoring a wonderful respite soaking in one of the last mornings of summer.
Scenic Beloit, Wisconsin hiking trails inside the beautiful, 190-acre Big Hill Park beckon to be explored. Just as the name Big Hill Park indicates, the preserve offers nature adventurers the opportunity to wander bluffs up above the Rock River. On a recent summer day, we reveled in fantastic river views, the shade of the woodlands, and rolling trails at Big Hill Park.
Our adventure along Line Creek Trail wound us through the woodlands providing a launching point to a peaceful Kansas City area hike. For much of its length, Line Creek Trail hugs Line Creek inviting beautiful views and an opportunity to explore Line Creek Double Falls!
.png "A Rocky Hike and Visit to Lakeside Nature Center at Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri")
We originally visited Swope Park in Kansas City, Missouri intent on exploring the rocky hiking trails. However, upon visiting Lakeside Nature Center, we discovered how vital the preserve's nature center is to wildlife rehabilitation and nature learning. The combination of hiking trails through a rocky landscape and the nature center crafted the perfect afternoon for us.
Wyandotte County Lake immediately charmed us upon first sight. The large 400-acre lake invites both exploration and moments of contemplation. The preserve provides such a beautiful nature haven for all to enjoy on a visit to Kansas City, Kansas. We admired it so much that we visited twice during our recent adventure.
A winter adventure to Niles, Michigan brought us to the delightful trails of Brandywine Creek Nature Park. An unseasonably warm February afternoon beckoned us to explore this beautiful preserve. After rambling along the creek and hiking a rolling trail, Brandywine Creek Nature Park emerged as one of our favorite Michigan preserves.
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in DuPage County, Illinois is a local favorite preserve in all seasons. We usually visit in the summer months, so for a change, we seized upon a glorious and sunny fall day for a visit. This was the first time that we saw the preserve after the leaves had fallen. The preserve's treasures were definitely beautifully draped in the gold of the fall sun!
A sunny fall morning brought us to Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area near Baraboo, Wisconsin. We spent the morning climbing rocks, crossing a meandering stream, admiring a deep gorge, discovering a waterfall, and standing in a rain of golden fall leaves. The preserve provided such a perfect fall memory.
Arriving at the trailhead inside Messenger Woods Nature Preserve in Homer Glen, Illinois, we were almost immediately folded inside beautiful woodlands. Trees had just really begun to change, so I knew that we would find some early fall colors popping up among the verdant leaves.
After visiting Marinette, Wisconsin and Seagull Bar State Natural Area, we wandered to the Hemlock Curve Nature Trail near Peshtigo. Hemlock Curve Nature Trail is part of the larger Peshtigo Harbor Wildlife Area and represents one of the trails created as part of a partnership between the Marinette County Land & Water Conservation, UW-Extension and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that was funded by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Project. We had this trail to ourselves so it was an entirely soothing experience surrounded by nature.
Enchanted by Stunning Nature at Cave Point County Park in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Door County's Cave Point County Park dazzled us with incredible view after incredible view. We spent a morning crawling along this stunning glacially created, wave-worn landscape. We found Cave Point to be a spot where you really want to pause and be in the moment.
We seized upon a recent sunny summer weekend to head up to Michigan. Always looking for new spots to hike, I keyed in on the Jens Jensen Nature Preserve in Sawyer. Adjacent to the Jens Jensen Nature Preserve is the Pepperidge Dunes Nature Sanctuary. The combined 45-acres of the preserves containing woodlands and wetlands present a lovely oasis for nature lovers.
St. Cloud, Minnesota bears the nickname 'Granite City' as an homage to a long history tied with granite quarries. Today, the rehabilitation of 20 former granite quarries crafts a fascinating and beautiful nature preserve for all to enjoy at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve. During our visit, we savored a summer morning exploring the 684-acre preserve.
River Bluffs Regional Park in St. Cloud, Minnesota Dazzles with Woodlands, Natural Trails and Ravines Above the Mississippi River
Shade and rolling trails upon the bluffs of St Cloud, Minnesota at River Bluffs Regional Park welcomed us while on a tranquil and rejuvenating nature adventure. Our hike on the natural trails under sunlight dancing through the leaves provided us with the perfect nature uplift that we needed.
Cherokee Marsh In Madison, Wisconsin Offers A Pleasant Hike With Great Birding
Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park in Madison, Wisconsin welcomed us on a recent late spring afternoon. We savored a hike through Dane County's largest wetland, admiring various birds including great blue heron and sandhill cranes.
Pecatonica Wetlands Forest Preserve in Pecatonica, Illinois enchanted us with an afternoon of wildlife watching. Visiting on a recent spring day, we benefitted from a nice temperature for wandering during spring migration. The opportunity to observe busy, spring wildlife awaited us!