Remnant Illinois Prairie and Wetlands, Nature Restoration, and Hiking at James "Pate" Philip State Park

 

Summer is prairie season here in the Prairie State of Illinois. Much of the original prairie was destroyed to make way for farming, industry, and settlement. Only about one tenth of 1% of native Illinois prairie still exists today.* However, due to the nurturing of remnant prairie as well as restoration efforts, we are able to once again enjoy the prairie's tall grasses and vibrant flowers. James "Pate" Philip State Park preserves sections of remnant prairie as well as maintains a restoration effort allowing Chicago area residents a perfect spot for experiencing this native ecosystem.

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A Top Chicago Area Forest Preserve for Summer Prairie Flowers: Shoe Factory Road Prairie

 

Summer brings brilliant displays of prairie flowers to the Illinois prairie. Recently, I visited Shoe Factory Road Prairie to bask in summer's joyful pink, purple, yellow, orange, and white flowers throughout the prairie. This was my first visit to this particular prairie and I was immediately enamored.

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11 Top Chicago Area Hiking Spots for Spring Wildflowers

Spring Wildflowers in the Chicago Suburbs

The season for spotting wildflowers is upon us! After many years exploring our Chicago area forest preserves, I have a number that I prefer when looking for spring wildflowers. I love to see the progression of the wildflowers throughout the season. Wildflowers are certainly little treasures! Here are some ideas for your spring wildflower adventures:

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Fall Hike and a Lake at Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve in Wadsworth, Illinois

 

Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve in Wadsworth, Illinois, is Lake County's first preserve. While the preserve's site was originally used for mining, the transformation due to restoration of the habitats has been absolutely amazing. Even though we visited on quite the gray day, we very quickly learned that Van Patten Woods invites visitors to a wealth of nature experiences.

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Greene Valley Forest Preserve Entices With Rolling Trails Through Woodlands, Wetlands, And Meadows

 
Late Winter Ramble at Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, IL

Greene Valley Forest Preserve in Naperville, IL beckons visitors to explore 12 miles of trails. The 1,388-acre preserve is home to over 540 native species and protects woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. During our visit this past weekend, we admired Greene Valley Forest Preserve in winter while enjoying a 3-mile hike.

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Enjoying a Rehabilitated Stretch of the West Branch DuPage River at Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve

 

Admiring a Beautiful Preserve on the West Branch DuPage River in Warrenville, Illinois

Warrenville Grove Forest Preserve represented one small section of a string of DuPage County Forest Preserves that we somehow skipped until the sun last Sunday beckoned us out. We soon discovered a lovely forest preserve along the West Branch DuPage River which had been restored.

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Hiking and Birding at McHenry Dam State Park in Illinois: A Nature Adventure for All Seasons

 

On a winter day last January, we visited McHenry Dam State Park on a hunch that we could possibly see a bald eagle and soak up some fresh air. The hunch that day ended up being fruitful and we did see a bald eagle fishing at the dam! We also saw quite a few other birds, so I knew that we would have to return. This week, we returned to check out this spot again.

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Hiking at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve Under the Golden Fall Sun in Darien, Illinois

 

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!

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Exploring Oriole Grove Forest Preserve in Lake Bluff, Illinois

 

Oriole Grove Forest Preserve in Lake County straddles the Lake Bluff - Lake Forest border following the Skokie River. The preserve does not have its own parking lot, so you must access it from either the Lake Bluff Openlands or Lake Forest Openlands parking lot. On our first visit, we entered through the Lake Bluff Openlands parking lot. We first wandered through the prairie before heading into the woodlands of the preserve.

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Admiring Volo Bog in the Late Fall and Early Winter

 

Volo Bog in Ingleside, Illinois Offers A Remarkably Unique Nature Adventure In All Seasons

Volo Bog delights us with fantastic hiking experiences in any season. We always make nature discoveries on every visit and a late fall or winter adventure never lacks for interesting observations. So on a cold day earlier this month, we made a trek to Volo Bog to enjoy some fresh and air and make some nature observations. The bog did not disappoint!

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Hiking through Woodlands to the Fox River at Hoover Forest Preserve in Yorkville, Illinois

 

Hoover Forest Preserve along the Fox River in Yorkville, Illinois welcomed us to majestic woodlands full of arbors, ravines, and river views. Last weekend, we searched for a new forest escape and really hit the jackpot with Hoover Forest Preserve. Just spectacular!

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Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve Beckons with a Lake and Wetlands

Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve in Wood Dale, Illinois

We stumbled on Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve after visiting a nearby preserve. We had just finished a hike but the weather was so nice that we wanted to take on another outdoor adventure. Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve was on our route home, so we opted to stop. Overall, we found the preserve to be a beautiful one for a quick stop.

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Hiking at Hampshire Forest Preserve and Eagles Forest Preserve in the Elgin, Illinois Area

 

Peaceful Trails, Beautiful Woodlands and Gentle Tyler Creek Charm During Our Elgin Area, Illinois Hikes

Disclosure: Thank you to Explore Elgin Area for hosting our visit.

A sunny Saturday during our Elgin Area adventure provided us with the perfect opportunity for exploring local trails. The region has quite a range of trails to choose from and with a free afternoon, we were able to choose two. During our exploration, we hiked along the trails at Hampshire Forest Preserve and Eagles Forest Preserve.

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Hiking Through the Woodlands of Blue Star Memorial Woods

 

Birding, Hiking and Nature Zen Inside Blue Star Memorial Woods in Glenview, IL

A wealth of preserves hug the North Branch Chicago River and we have delighted in exploring them. A free afternoon this week afforded us a lovely chunk of time to hike the trails of Blue Star Memorial Woods along the meandering  North Branch Chicago River.

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Hiking Along the DuPage River in Hammel Woods in Shorewood, Illinois

Birds, Ravines, River Views, and Forest Bathing in Hammel Woods

Birds chirped and flitted all around during our weekend visit to Hammel Woods. Upon embarking on our hike, we quickly learned that Hammel Woods represents an amazing bird haven. We would enjoy some fantastic wonders on our late winter hike at Hammel Woods!

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Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve Represents an Incredibly Biodiverse Ecological Treasure in Lake Forest, Illinois

 

Wandering the Mesic and Wet Prairies and Woodlands of Middlefork Savanna

A late fall hike took us to Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois. Middlefork Savanna is home to a rare tallgrass savanna and figures as one the most important sites for biodiversity in Illinois. The preserve has long been a vital ecological research site and only opened to the public in 2002.

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Hiking and Birding at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, Illinois

Hiking and Birding at Midewin  National Tallgrass Prairie  in Wilmington, Illinois

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington, IL welcomes visitors to a nature haven teeming with wildlife and great expanses for exploration. The preserve inhabits land formerly housing the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant and represents an incredible ongoing environmental restoration effort.

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