Tag Archive for "Recreation" - Friends of the Forest Preserves

Posts Tagged ‘Recreation’

Prairies

Posted: June 24th, 2015

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

Theodore Stone Preserve near Hodgkins

Theodore Stone Preserve, also known as Ted Stone, was purchased in 1917 and is home to a globally rare dolomite prairie, upland woods, and another super cool prairie. Restoration efforts in recent years have helped restore it to health. 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. Take a hike. North of the picnic shelter, follow the boardwalk over a bridge that crosses restored wetlands and leads to the prairie and then up into the woods.

Somme Prairie Grove near Northbrook

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. 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. 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/Shoe Factory Road Woods near Hoffman Estates

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. 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. 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 on Chicago’s southeast side

An active volunteer group is working to restore this sand prairie; an incredibly rare dune and swale ecosystem that formed on sand deposited by ancient glacial Lake Chicago. There are prickly pear cactus at this site. Who knew there were cacti in Illinois? Take a hike through one of Illinois’ finest remnant prairies and admire the dunes and swales.

Click here to learn more about Cook County’s prairies.

Spring Wildflower Hikes

Posted: April 29th, 2015

Cook County’s forests bloom from April to June. Spring wildflowers make the most of the sun that shines on the forest floor before the trees leaf out. Get out and enjoy this annual wildflower display. 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 spring woodland wildflowers:

McLaughry Springs Woods near Palos Park

Starting Point: The parking lot is located on South Kean Avenue between West Cal-Sag Road/Route 83 and
West 119^th Street, approximately ½ mile west of LaGrange Road/Route 45.

Bunker Hill Forest Preserve on Chicago’s North Side

Starting Point: Park in the lot on the west side of Caldwell Avenue, a few blocks north of Devon Avenue. Walk south along the paved trail.

Harms Woods near Glenview

Starting Point: Park in the Glenview Woods lot, located on Harms Road north of Old Orchard Road and South of Glenview Road. Take the gravel trail south to access the bridge and cross to the west side of the river.

Black Partridge Woods near Lemont

Starting Point: Take Lemont Road to 111th Street (Bluff Road), then take 111^th Street west and southwest 1 mile to the parking lot.

Sand Ridge Nature Center near South Holland

Starting Point: Take 195^th Street to Paxton Avenue. The Nature Center is at 15890 Paxton. The Pines Trail is especially notable for its spring wildflowers.

Organizing for the Preserves

Posted: January 28th, 2015

Chris Weber talks to volunteers at Kickapoo Woods.

As one of Friend’s field organizers, my job is to find new people to help care for the preserves. Sometimes, this task is not as straightforward as it may sound.

To get people involved, I first have to get them to come to a preserve, period. Not only have many Chicagoland residents never set foot in a preserve, but more than a few have avoided them for decades.

It’s a legacy of uncertainty left over from a time when the preserves were perceived as a potential danger.

Those realities have changed and continue to change, but people’s uncertainty lingers. So, whenever I am out recruiting potential volunteers, one of my first tasks is to show people it’s safe. I have to show people the preserves are a place where they belong. We go to the preserves together so they can check out the vibe.

When we do, in addition to birds and wildflowers, they find something equally important: People using the preserves in safe, felicitous ways. People exercising. People gathering with friends. People eating lunch. People of all ages and races enjoying these green retreats.

They’re reassured, and then we plan what’s next: Nature hikes, volunteer days, community events. The forest preserves are good habitat for everyone.

By: Chris Weber, Field Organizer-South for the Centennial Volunteers

Christopher Weber is a field organizer, working to build community support around South Side preserves. Prior to joining Friends, he managed a volunteer-run garden at the Lincoln Park Zoo. A long-time environmental journalist, he contributes in his spare time to news sites like Civil Eats and Grist. Chris lives with his family in Hyde Park. His favorite native plant is rattlesnake master.

Top Sledding Spots

Posted: January 20th, 2015

While many folks have fond memories of tobogganing in the forest preserves (the runs are gone now, but that’s another story), not to worry. Those same hills are available for sledding! A couple basic rules here: There must be 3-inches of snow and the ground must be frozen for a sled hill to be open. Even then, if a hill is muddy or trashed, FPCC has the right to close it. FPCC says sleds only, no other fancy stuff like snowboards and toboggans. Most importantly, be cool (pun kinda intended) and be mindful of other sledders.

Here are the spots where you can find official sled hills:

With lights, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Westchester Woods – Cermak Road, east of LaGrange Road near Westchester
Dan Ryan Woods – 87th Street and Western Avenue on Chicago’s south side
Swallow Cliff Woods – Route 83 and Mannheim Road near Palos Park (Closed in winter 2014-2015 unfortunately).
Caldwell Woods – Devon and Milwaukee Avenues on Chicago’s northwest side
Deer Grove, grove number 5 – Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road near Palatine
Pioneer Woods– 107th Street, 1/2 mile west of LaGrange Road near Willow Springs

Without lights, open from 10 a.m. to sunset

Indian Hill Woods – 16th Street and Edgewood Avenue near Chicago Heights
Indian Road Woods – Central Avenue, 1/2 mile south of Caldwell Avenue on Chicago’s northwest side
Schiller Woods – Irving Park and Cumberland Avenue near Schiller Park
Deer Grove, grove number 4 – Quentin Road, north of Dundee Road near Palatine

Skiing and Snowshoeing

Posted: January 15th, 2015

While skiing and snowshoeing are allowed on all of the forest preserve trails, we have a few suggestions for where to go first. You can ski and snowshoe just about anywhere your feet will take you, except for the golf courses and at nature centers. If you are skiing or snowshoeing in the winter, please do your best to stay on the ski tracks.

Camp Sagawau near Lemont (southwest)
Sagawau Environmental Learning Center near Lemont offers a complete Nordic Ski Program,including lessons for all ability levels, nature ski tours, school group programs, and ski rentals.

Dan Ryan Woods on Chicago’s southside (south)
Beverly Bike and Ski, rents, you guessed it, skis and snowshoes and is about a block from Dan Ryan Woods on Western Avenue. The staff is great and exceedingly helpful and their rates are reasonable. While Dan Ryan is a small preserve in comparison, it offers plenty of options for skiing and snowshoeing. And, the 91st Street Metra Station on the Rock Island Line is adjacent to the woods.

Bemis Woods near Brookfield (west)
Bemis Woods is actually a woods with large picnic groves, long loop trails, and Salt Creek running through it. Skiers have reported that they enjoy the trails at Bemis.

Woodlands

Posted: October 29th, 2014

Any time of year is a wonderful time to enjoy woodlands (think forests with less trees) in the forest preserves. Of course, one of the best times of year in a woodland is autumn. Cool weather, migrating birds, and vibrant fall leaves – autumn is a wonderful time to get out and take in the forest preserves. 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 admiring autumn leaves:

Harms Woods near Glenview (north)
Starting Point: Park in the Glenview Woods lot, located on Harms Road north of Old Orchard Road and South of Glenview Road. Take the gravel trail south to access the bridge and cross to the west side of the river.

Spears Woods near Hickory Hills (southwest)
Starting Point: The parking lot is located on Route 45/LaGrange road just south of 87th Street.

Swallow Cliff Woods near Palos Park (southwest)
Starting Point: The parking lot and trailhead are off U.S. 45 near 119th Street.

Deer Grove West near Palatine (northwest)
Starting Point: The main entrance to Deer Grove West is on the west side of Quentin Road between Dundee and Lake-Cook Roads in Palatine. To find the restoration area, turn right at the first stop sign and continue straight through the second stop sign. Continue past parking along the left side of the road to the first available parking along the right side of the road. The trail is marked with a large sign.

Busse Forest near Elk Grove (northwest)
Starting Point: Park in picnic grove #4, located on the north side of Higgins Road between Arlington Heights Road and the Salt Creek Bridge. You’ll find the entrance to the gravel trail behind the picnic shelter. The trail leads through the forest to the road that connects picnic groves nos. 1-3. You can walk south along this road to connect with the paved trail and loop back to picnic grove no. 4.

Top Three Golf Courses

Posted: September 17th, 2014

Golf in the preserves is affordable and available throughout the county. There are 9-hole and 18-hole courses. Not to mention, they are in forest preserves where beautiful trees and wildlife abound.

George W. Dunne National near Oak Forest (south)

Widely recognized as one of the best public courses in the nation, George Dunne National in Oak Forest is a must for any golfer. Offering the unique feature of bent grass fairways and greens, there is challenging terrain and plenty of water. And, it’s where we have our annual golf outing fundraiser.

Highland Woods Golf Course near Hoffman Estates (northwest)

Located on the highest point in Cook County, the championship Highland Woods Golf Course is a challenging course with generous fairways that are countered by 52 sand traps placed throughout its rolling hills and tree-lined fairways.

Indian Boundary on Chicago’s northwest side (north)

Indian Boundary is suited for all levels of golfers. With its heavily-wooded layout and strategically placed water and sand, the course is both scenic and challenging. It is the most popular course in the forest preserves.

Top Five Hikes

Posted: September 3rd, 2014

Deer Grove near Palatine

Trail Length: 5.6 mile loop

This 1,800-acre preserve is considered one of the best places to hike in Cook County and offers rolling hills, forests and wetland views. The easy trail is shared by hikers, bikers and equestrian users. Paths can be muddy and sloppy after it rains as portions of the path are in low areas. We recommend parking at the Deer Grove West parking lot located on the north side of Dundee Road just east of the intersection of Ela and Dundee Roads. A trail head sign is available but bring a preserve map with you just in case.

Little Red School House near Palos Hills

Trail Length: 3 mile loop

This family friendly hike starts at the Little Red School House Nature Center. Check out the nature center on your way to or from the hike (but make sure to call ahead for nature center hours 708-839-6897). The trail is an easy one that goes through woodlands and prairie areas, up and over beautiful rolling hills and has scenic views of smalls lakes and wetlands. Park in the nature center parking lot on the west side of 104^th Avenue between 95^th Street on the north and 107^th Street on the south. Picnicking is available at nearby preserves including Maple Lake. Hikes abound in the surrounding Palos Preserves which contain the largest holdings of open space in Cook County totaling more than 14,000-acres.

Harms Woods near Glenview

Trail Length: 2 mile Linear Trail Roundtrip

This easy trail will take you over a bridge spanning the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River and in spring there is an amazing array of spring wildflowers to enjoy in this woodland. It’s also an amazing place to visit in the fall with brilliant displays of witch hazel, maples, and oaks. Park at Glenview Woods on west side of Harms Road just south of Glenview Road. Follow the linear trail south over the bridge and walk along the linear trail of crushed limestone that follows the river. The trail ends about a mile south of the parking lot and there is no circular path.

Sweet Woods near Glenwood

Trail Length: 2.5 mile Linear Trail Roundtrip

This relaxing, undulating hike takes you through beautiful woodlands that run alongside Thorn Creek. These sandy soil woodlands are dominated by different species of oaks with some openings of savanna remaining. Park at the Sweet Woods parking lot located on the west side of Cottage Grove Avenue just south of 183^rd Street. The trail heads west from the parking lot. For those seeking a longer hike the trail can be extended by crossing Cottage Grove Road and picking up the same trail as it winds east through Jurgensen Woods for another 3+ miles. Hikers can return the same way they came or join up with the paved Thorn Creek trail to make a loop.

Catherine Chevalier and Robinson Woods near Franklin Park

Trail Length: 2 to 9 miles Linear Trail Roundtrip

This hike takes you through a series of linked preserves that are nestled along the Des Plaines River. Park at the Robinson Woods parking lot located on the south side of Lawrence Avenue just west of East River Road. The path can be taken north to Catherine Chevalier Woods where picnic groves are found or taken north all the way to Camp Ground Road Woods before you have to turn around. The unpaved trail is a hotspot for birds and also includes bottomland woods, oak woodlands, and small prairie remnants. The river provides great wildlife viewing throughout the year.

Fishing on 40 Lakes

Posted: August 20th, 2014

While all of the more than 40 lakes in the forest preserves are man made, it is usually really hard to tell. Not to mention, they are excellent places for really great outdoor recreation.

A number of lakes have hard-surface trails for accessibility and nearly all of them have easy access from a nearby parking lot. Bass, walleye, catfish, sunfish, and even muskie and trout are out there waiting for you to catch.

Outboard motors are available on the rivers, while lakes only allow electric motors (remove your gas motor before launching to avoid a fine). Paddles and sails are ok too of course. Ice fishing is allowed on a limited number of lakes.

So grab your pole and your family or friends and head out to one of the fully-stocked lakes near you. Be sure to check out the forest preserves’ excellent fishing guide for more info.

Here’s where we’d go first:

Busse Reservoir near Elk Grove (there are actually muskee here and boat rentals)
Tampier Lake in Palos (you can rent a boat here too)
The Skokie Lagoons (these are extensive and you can rent kayaks)
And near the city, check out Powderhorn Lake on the southeast side

Top Three Bike Trails

Posted: August 13th, 2014

There are more than 100 miles of paved multi-use trails in the forest preserves. They are great for biking and in some places for commuting. Remember, multi-use does mean that you share the trail with walkers, runners, in-line skaters, and more.

Bikes are always required to give way to all other users, including equestrians. FYI, no motorized vehicles are allowed in the preserves, so if you see one call 911 and ask for the forest preserve police to report.

The Forest Preserves of Cook County has maps on their website of all of the bike trails. There is most certainly one within a short ride near you. Here are a few of our favorites.

Busse Woods near Elk Grove Village

A fancy new bridge in Busse Woods completes an 8-mile loop around the preserve that keeps you off the insanely busy Higgins Road. You’ll go through the nature preserve, around Busse Lake, and through open grassy areas. It’s a great trip with easy parking and tons of waterfowl to see.

North Branch Trail from Chicago’s north side to the Chicago Botanic Garden

The North Branch Trail is very popular linear trail. It runs for 13 miles from Chicago’s north side, along the North Branch of the Chicago River, to the Skokie Lagoons where it hooks into a four-mile loop and the Chicago Botanic Garden. (FYI: the world-renown Chicago Botanic Garden is owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and is free via bike – driving there will cost you a few bucks for parking). You’ll pass by a number of volunteer-led ecological restoration sites along the way, too. You’ll see woods, prairies, savannas, and wetlands along this route.

Tinley Trail System near Oak Forest

The Tinley Trail System offers several different loops moving through open grassy areas and woods. The advantage here is options for distance. A nine-mile loop connects via a 2-mile stretch to another 3-mile loop and another 2-mile stretch to a 3-mile loop and so on. Soon, the Oak Forest Heritage Preserve will open and that will add another whole chunk to the mix.

Friends of the Forest Preserves

Posts Tagged ‘Recreation’

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