The more time you spend in Cook County’s forest preserves, the more you’ll understand why we do what we do. Here are our top selections for enjoying your local forest preserves this season:

Summer on the Prairie

Prairies are in full bloom from July through September. Here are some of our favorite places to see tallgrass and wildflowers.

Theodore Stone Preserve

Location: Western Suburbs, Near LaGrange
At-a-Glance: The Theodore Stone Preserve, also known as Ted Stone, was purchased in 1917 and is home to a globally rare dolomite prairie. Restoration efforts in recent years have helped restore it to health.

See: The beautiful prairie wild flowers are worthy of a trip to Ted Stone. About 200 native plant species live here, including purple milkweed, sky-blue aster, and rough blazing star.
Do: Take a hike. North of the picnic shelter, follow the boardwalk over a bridge that crosses restored wetlands and leads to the prairie.

Somme Prairie Grove

Location: Northbrook

At-a-Glace: Somme Prairie Grove is a particularly special place to visit. The oak savanna here features prairie flora as well as species that grow in shadier areas. It’s one of the most endangered ecosystems in Illinois, and this one has been lovingly restored to health during the past 30 years.

See: Walk among the ancient oaks and open grassland looking for rattlesnake master, prairie dropseed, blazing star, compass plant, and more. Try to spot savanna and shrubland birds such as the indigo bunting or the brown thrasher.

Do: Somme Prairie Grove has an established footpath system and a variety of guides that can be downloaded from sommepreserve.org. The 85 acres include prairie, woodland, and savanna habitats.

Poplar Creek Prairie

Location: Near Hoffman Estates

At-a-Glace: A rare gravel hill prairie meets a spectacular prairie restoration at Shoe Factory Road Woods. On the hill prairie, an Illinois Nature Preserve, you’ll see a special mix of prairie plants that do well in dry conditions. On the plain below, you’ll get a real sense of open prairie – an increasingly rare sight.

See: Take a look at the kame, a cone-shaped sand and gravel hill deposited by a glacier thousands of years ago. Enjoy the 100-plus native plant species such as Seneca snakeroot, leadplant and false dragonhead.

Do: Find the mowed trail on the east end of the Shoe Factory Road Woods parking lot (accessed from Rt 59). There is also a bike trail that skirts the edge of the preserve.

Powderhorn Prairie

Location: Straddles Chicago’s southeast side and the suburb of Burnham
At-a-Glace: Friends has an active volunteer group working to restore this sand prairie; an incredibly rare dune and swale ecosystem that formed on sand deposited by ancient glacial Lake Chicago.

See: Prickly pear cactus – Who knew there were cacti in Illinois?

Do: Take a hike through one of Illinois’ finest remnant prairies and admire the dunes and swales.