Into the Wild

Our Guide to the Wild Side

Back Into the Wild

Preserves and wild places we have profiled in other issues, with narratives, trail maps, and directions. For alphabetical list, see pull-down menu at bottom of this page and all profile pages.

Multi-County Trails & Experiences

Christmas Bird Count [Winter 2005]

Grand Illinois Trail (Northern Illinois) [Summer 2003]

Paddling the Des Plaines River (Lake, Cook, and Will Counties) [Summer 2000]

Old Plank Road Trail (Cook and Will Counties) [Spring 2000]

Cook County, Illinois

Baker's Lake Nature Preserve [Spring 2000]

Bemis Woods (Cross Country Skiing) [Winter 2000]

Black Partridge Forest Preserve [Fall 1999]

Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve

Brownell Woods [Spring 2004]

Bunker Hill Forest Preserve [Spring 2001]

Busse Forest Nature Preserve [Spring 1999]

Cap Sauers Holdings [Winter 1998]

Camp Sagawau [Fall 1997]

Camp Sagawau (Cross Country Skiing) [Winter 2000]

Cranberry Slough Nature Preserve [Summer 1999]

Deer Grove [Winter 1999]

Deer Grove (Cross Country Skiing) [Winter 2000]

Elgin, Ill. Area (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2004]

The Grove National Historic Landmark (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2002]

Harms Woods [Spring 2005]

Hidden Pond Woods & Prairie [Summer 2004]

Indian Boundary Prairies [Summer 1998]

The Magic Hedge [Spring 1998]

Mary Mix McDonald Woods [Summer 1999]

Palos/Sag/Swallow Cliff Woods (Cross Country Skiing) [Winter 2000]

Palos & Sag Valley Trails (Weekend Explorer) [Winter 2005]

Paul Douglas Forest Preserve [Summer 2004]

Poplar Creek [Summer 1998]

Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie [Summer 1998]

Thatcher Woods [Spring 2005]

Theodore Stone Preserve [Summer 2003]

Sand Ridge Nature Center (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2003]

Santa Fe Prairie [Summer 2001]

Spears Woods Forest Preserve [Fall 2002]

Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve [Fall 2002]

Wampum Lake Woods Forest Preserve [Winter 2003]

Wolf Road Prairie Nature Preserve [Spring 2004]

Zanders Woods [Fall 1998]

DuPage County, Illinois

Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve [Summer 2000]

Blackwell Forest Preserve [Winter 2005]

Blackwell Forest Preserve [Fall 1999]

Churchill Woods Forest Preserve [Summer 2003]

Danada Forest Preserve [Winter 1999]

Egermann Woods Forest Preserve [Winter 2003]

Fullersburg Woods [Winter 2001]

Greene Valley Forest Preserve [Fall 1998]

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve [Winter 2000]

Lincoln Marsh Natural Area [Spring 2004]

Lyman Woods Forest Preserve (Weekend Explorer) [Fall 2002]

Maple Grove Forest Preserve [Spring 2002]

Meacham Grove Forest Preserve [Fall 2001]

Morton Arboretum (Weekend Explorer) [Fall 2004]

Pratt's Wayne Woods [Winter 1998]

Springbrook Prairie [Summer 2001]

Waterfall Glen [Fall 1997]

Wayne Grove Forest Preserve [Spring 2003]

West Chicago Prairie [Summer 1998]

West DuPage Woods [Winter 2001]

Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve [Winter 2004]

Grundy County, Illinois

Goose Lake Prairie [Spring 1999]

Kane County, Illinois

Big Rock Forest Preserve [Summer 2003]

Bliss Woods (Weekend Explorer) [Summer 2001]

Burnidge Forest Preserve [Winter 2000]

Campton Forest Preserve [Winter 2003]

Campton Hills Park [Winter 2001]

Elgin, Ill. Area (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2004]

Ferson Creek Fen [Summer 1999]

Freeman Kame-Ed Meagher Forest Preserve [Winter 2004]

Helm Woods Forest Preserve [Fall 2002]

Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve [Spring 2002]

Johnson's Mound [Fall 1999]

Nelson Lake Marsh [Fall 1997]

Norris Woods [Spring 1999]

Kendall County, Illinois

Harris Forest Preserve [Winter 2002]

Richard Young & Lyon Forest Preserves [Spring 2003]

Kenosha County, Wisconsin

Chiwaukee Prairie [Summer 2002]

Des Plaines River Floodplain [Summer 2004]

Pringle Nature Center [Winter 2002]

Lake County, Illinois

Chain O'Lakes State Park [Fall 1999]

Cressmoor Prairie (Weekend Explorer) [Fall 2001]

Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve [Spring 1998]

Des Plaines River Trail [Fall 1997]

Grant Woods Forest Preserve [Winter 2002]

Grassy Lake Forest Preserve (Weekend Explorer) [Winter 2004]

Grigsby Prairie [Summer 2000]

Half Day & Wright Woods Forest Preserves [Fall 2000]

Heller Nature Center [Spring 2000]

Illinois Beach State Park [Winter 1998]

Illinois Beach State Park, North Unit [Summer 2002]

Lakewood Forest Preserve [Winter 2000]

Liberty Prairie Reserve (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2001]

Lyons Prairie & Marsh [Summer 2002]

Lyons Woods Forest Preserves [Winter 2001]

McDonald Woods Forest Preserve (Weekend Explorer) [Winter 2003]

Old School Forest Preserve [Fall 1999]

Prairie Wolf Slough [Winter 2005]

Rollins Savanna [Fall 2004]

Ryerson Conservation Area [Spring 2002]

Spring Bluff Nature Preserve [Summer 2000]

Skokie River Nature Preserve [Spring 2005]

Van Patten Woods [Winter 1999]

Volo Bog [Summer 1999]

Lake County, Indiana

Cressmoor Prairie (Weekend Explorer) [Fall 2001]

Deep River County Park [Winter 2003]

Gibson Woods Nature Preserve [Spring 2002]

Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve [Spring 1998]

Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve [Spring 2000]

Heron Rookery, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore [Spring 2001]

Ivanhoe Dune & Swale [Fall 2004]

Miller Woods [Fall 2000]

McHenry County, Illinois

Cary Sands Main Street Prairie [Fall 2000]

Chain O'Lakes State Park [Fall 1999]

Coral Woods Conservation Area [Spring 2003]

Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve [Spring 1999]

Fel-Pro RRR [Winter 2004]

Glacial Park [Fall 1997]

Glacial Park [Winter 2001]

Glacial Park [Fall 2004]

Lake in the Hills Fen [Fall 1998]

Marengo Ridge (Weekend Explorer) [Winter 2002]

Moraine Hills State Park [Winter 1998]

Nippersink Creek (Weekend Explorer) [Spring 2005]

Silver Creek Conservation Area [Fall 2001]

Sterne's Woods and Fen [Fall 2002]

Wingate Prairie [Fall 2001]

Porter County, Indiana

Cowles Bog [Fall 1998]

Indiana Dunes State Park [Winter 1999]

Indiana Dunes (Weekend Explorer) [Summer 2004]

Will County, Illinois

Braidwood Dunes and Savanna [Summer 1999]

Goodenow Grove Forest Preserve [Winter 1999]

Grant Creek Prairie Nature Preserve [Spring 2000]

Hickory Creek [Fall 2000]

Hickory Creek Barrens (Weekend Explorer) [Summer 2002]

Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve [Summer 2000]

Lake Renwick Heron Rookery [Spring 1998]

Lockport Prairie [Summer 1998]

McKinley Woods [Summer 2001]

Messenger Woods [Fall 1997]

O'Hara Woods [Spring 2000]

Pilcher Park [Spring 2003]

Raccoon Grove Forest Preserve [Winter 2002]

Rock Run Preserve [Summer 2003]

Thorn Creek Woods [Fall 2000]

Choose another Into the Wild Site Baker's Lake Nature Preserve - Cook County Belmont Prairie Nature Preserve - DuPage County Bemis Woods (Cross Country Skiing) - Cook County Big Rock Forest Preserve - Kane County Black Partridge Forest Preserve - Cook County Blackwell Forest Preserve - DuPage County (2005) Blackwell Forest Preserve - DuPage County (1999) Bliss Woods - Kane County Bluff Spring Fen Nature Preserve - Cook County Braidwood Dunes and Savanna - Will County Brownell Woods - Cook County Bunker Hill Forest Preserve - Cook County Burnidge Forest Preserve - Kane County Busse Forest Nature Preserve - Cook County Camp Sagawau - Cook County Camp Sagawau (Cross Country Skiing) - Cook Campton Forest Preserve - Kane County Campton Hills Park - Kane County Cap Sauers Holdings - Cook County Cary Sands Main Street Prairie - McHenry County Chain O'Lakes State Park - Lake & McHenry Counties Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha County, WI Christmas Bird Count Churchill Woods Forest Preserve - DuPage County Coral Woods Conservation Area - McHenry County Cowles Bog - Porter County, IN Cranberry Slough Nature Preserve - Cook County Cressmoor Prairie - Lake County Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve - Lake County Danada Forest Preserve - DuPage County Deep River County Park - Lake County, IN Deer Grove - Cook County Deer Grove (Cross Country Skiing) - Cook Co. Des Plaines River Floodplain - Kenosha Co., Wisc. Des Plaines River Trail - Lake County Egermann Woods Forest Preserve - DuPage County Elgin, Ill. Area (Weekend Explorer) - Kane & Cook Co. Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve - McHenry County Fel-Pro RRR - McHenry County Ferson Creek Fen - Kane County Freeman Kame-Ed Meagher Forest Preserve - Kane County Fullersburg Woods - DuPage County Gibson Woods Nature Preserve - Lake County, Indiana Glacial Park (1997) - McHenry County Glacial Park (2001) - McHenry County Glacial Park (2004) - McHenry County Goodenow Grove Forest Preserve - Will County Goose Lake Prairie - Grundy County Grand Illinois Trail - Northern Illinois Grant Creek Prairie Nature Preserve - Will County Grant Woods Forest Preserve - Lake County Grassy Lake Forest Preserve - Lake County Greene Valley Forest Preserve - DuPage County Grigsby Prairie - Lake County Grove National Historic Landmark - Cook County Half Day & Wright Woods Forest Preserves - Lake County Harms Woods - Cook County Harris Forest Preserve - Kendall County Heller Nature Center - Lake County Helm Woods Forest Preserve - Kane County Heron Rookery - Indiana Dunes Herrick Lake Forest Preserve - DuPage County Hickory Creek - Will County Hickory Creek Barrens - Will County Hidden Pond Woods - Cook County Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve - Will County Hoosier Prairie State Nature Preserve (2000) - Lake County, IN Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve (1998) - Lake County, IN Illinois Beach State Park - Lake County Illinois Beach State Park, North Unit - Lake County Indian Boundary Prairies - Cook County Indiana Dunes State Park - Porter County, IN Indiana Dunes (Weekend Explorer) - Porter Co., IN Ivanhoe Dune & Swale - Lake Co., IN Johnson's Mound - Kane County Lake in the Hills Fen - McHenry County Lake Renwick Heron Rookery - Will County Lakewood Forest Preserve - Lake County Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve - Kane County Liberty Prairie Reserve - Lake County Lincoln Marsh Natural Area - DuPage County Lockport Prairie - Will County Lyman Woods Forest Preserve - DuPage County Lyons Prairie & Marsh - McHenry & Lake Counties Lyons Woods Forest Preserves - Lake County Magic Hedge - Cook County Maple Grove Forest Preserve - DuPage County Marengo Ridge - McHenry County Mary Mix McDonald Woods - Cook County McDonald Woods Forest Preserve - Lake County McKinley Woods - Will County Meacham Grove Forest Preserve - DuPage County Messenger Woods - Will County Miller Woods - Lake County, IN Moraine Hills State Park - McHenry County Morton Arboretum (Weekend Explorer) - DuPage County Nelson Lake Marsh - Kane County Nippersink Creek (Weekend Explorer) - McHenry County Norris Woods - Kane County O'Hara Woods - Will County Old Plank Road Trail - Cook & Will Counties Old School Forest Preserve - Lake County Paddling the Des Plaines River - Lake, Cook, Will County Palos/Sag/Swallow Cliff Woods (Cross Country Skiing) - Cook Co. Palos & Sag Valley Trails (Weekend Explorer) - Cook Co. Paul Douglas Forest Preserve - Cook Co. Pilcher Park - Will County Poplar Creek - Cook County Powderhorn Marsh & Prairie - Cook County Prairie Wolf Slough - Lake Co., Ill. Pratt's Wayne Woods - DuPage County Pringle Nature Center - Kenosha County Raccoon Grove Forest Preserve - Will County Richard Young & Lyon Forest Preserves - Kendall Co. Rock Run Preserve - Will County Rollins Savanna - Lake Co., Ill. Ryerson Conservation Area - Lake County Sand Ridge Nature Center - Cook County Santa Fe Prairie - Cook County Silver Creek Conservation Area - McHenry County Skokie River Nature Preserve - Lake County Spears Woods Forest Preserve - Cook County Spring Bluff Nature Preserve - Lake County Spring Creek Valley Forest Preserve - Cook County Springbrook Prairie - DuPage County Sterne's Woods and Fen - McHenry County Thatcher Woods - Cook County Theodore Stone Preserve - Cook County Thorn Creek Woods - Will County Van Patten Woods - Lake County Volo Bog State Natural Area - Lake County Wampum Lake Woods Forest Preserve - Cook County Waterfall Glen - DuPage County Wayne Grove Forest Preserve - DuPage County West Chicago Prairie - DuPage County West DuPage Woods - DuPage County Wingate Prairie - McHenry County Wood Dale Grove Forest Preserve - DuPage County Wolf Road Prairie Nature Preserve - Cook Co. Zanders Woods - Cook County