McDonald Woods Forest Preserve
Lake County, Illinois

A wide-open scenic landscape greets visitors to McDonald Woods, located between the towns of Millburn and Lindenhurst in northern Lake County. The trails at these woods are comfortably wide and gently sloping, good for side-by-side walking and excellent for cross-country skiing.

Restrooms and a pump for drinking water mark the start of the 3.5-mile crushed-stone trail. On one side of the trail, successional fields naturally seeded with dogwood, ash, and sumac have replaced farmland. On the other side, Queen Anne's lace, goldenrod, and thistle have taken over where beans and corn once grew.

About a half mile down the trail lies a small remnant prairie that volunteers are expanding by seeding new areas. Indian grass, big bluestem, rattlesnake master, wild quinine, and cat briar grow here amidst shagbark hickory trees. LCFP Restoration Ecologist Ken Klick plucks a dried gray-headed coneflower. "Smell this," he says, and I breathe in its pleasant, pungent aroma. There are a few private homes just east of the trail. Otherwise, nothing impedes the view and no civilized sounds penetrate.

Wildlife abounds in this preserve. Hedgerows of pine and oak harbor deer, coyote, and fox. Fifteen-year-old shrub thickets attract the rare blue-winged warbler and yellow-breasted chat. Juncos and white-throated sparrows overwinter from Canada, and the northern shrike has been sighted here.

Three connected ponds stud McDonald Woods. Small, wood-plank water control structures keep these shallow basins filled. Two state-endangered birds, the yellow-headed blackbird and the pied-billed grebe, can be found here. Great egrets and great blue herons, muskrats, and snapping turtles also enjoy these ponds and are often visible from the trail.

Rounding the south end of the trail, a stand of wild raspberry bushes — a deep magenta in the fall — line the westernmost pond. To the south is a one-mile wood-chip trail that loops through more woods.

We walk north, cross over a bridge, and see signs of beaver. On a late winter's afternoon, great horned or long-eared owls may roost in the pines.

As we circle north, we enter oak woodlands. Weeping willow and black walnut trees line the path. The ground here is littered with hundreds of dark yellow walnuts.

As part of a recent restoration effort, volunteers are clearing buckthorn from several acres near the trail. We stop to pinch pennyroyal, also fragrant, and view grassy Pennsylvania sedge springing up in the shade of oak and hickory trees. From May through August, geraniums and trillium grow here too.

Back on the trail, we walk through a wooded ravine cut by an ephemeral stream with bur oak, basswood, and more hickory. As we emerge onto the last few steps of trail, a ruby-crowned kinglet, its high-pitched "zzz" sounding like the tiniest of saws, calls from some aspens.

Hiking and cross-country skiing are allowed on all 4.5 miles of trail — biking only on the stone trail. Leashed dogs are allowed, and there are picnic tables throughout the preserve. In season, fishing is allowed, with restrictions. The preserve is open year-round from 6:30 a.m. to sunset.

To join volunteers on restoration workdays at McDonald Woods or nearby Sun Lake Forest Preserve, call Tom Smith at (847) 968-3329. All ages are welcome.

Roaming
In one of the fastest-growing counties in Illinois, it is heartening to see so many green Forest Preserve signs proclaiming land obtained from "Another Lake County Referendum." Driving north on Route 45 past the turnoff to McDonald Woods, visitors will find Ethel's Woods and Raven Glen Forest Preserve. Fourth Lake Preserve and Fen is south and west of McDonald Woods on Route 132. Additional signs dot the roadsides with preserves and acreage yet unnamed. All of these areas are newly acquired and will be open to the public in years to come.

Due south of McDonald Woods on West Sand Lake Road is Bonner Farm, the oldest farmstead in the region. Settled by Scottish immigrants in 1842, this expansive farmstead consists of hay and dairy barns, storage silos, a pump house, a chicken coop, a smoke house, and a carpentry barn. Currently under renovation and not yet open to the public, it will be a working farm when finished. Call (847) 968-3400 to receive a copy of Lake County's free quarterly newsletter, Horizons, which lists events.

A hiking trail running south from McDonald Woods to Bonner Farm is under construction and will become part of the 35-mile Millennium Trail. This longer trail will connect Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda to the Des Plaines River Trail in Wadsworth. The first three miles are open and extend from Holly Road in Mundelein to Lakewood FP.

On Grand Avenue (Route 32) near Lake Villa is the Duck Farm Forest Preserve and Dog Exercise Area, 350 acres of woodland and prairie, including a 48-acre fenced dog exercise area with hiking trails. A duck farm on a small lake within this preserve was once home to 50,000 ducks. There is still a variety of waterfowl and wildlife in this preserve, a section of which connects to nearby Sand Lake. The dog exercise area is open daily, 6:30 a.m. to sunset. From April 1 to October 31, the area opens at 11 a.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

More Daytripping
Just east of McDonald Woods, at the intersection of Route 45 and West Grass Lake Road, is the town of Millburn. A few small antique shops hug the four-cornered stop, and the Millburn General Store, a two-story brick store built there in 1856 by the original Scottish settler, is on the national register of historic places. It will be reopening under new owners in March. Also reopening in the spring is Martin's General Store - Museum of Community and Culture. The museum's Web site has abundant information on the many historic buildings in downtown Millburn.

The landscape in this part of Lake County has always been dominated by small lakes, formed when blocks of ice melted into potholes left by glacial debris. No fewer than 167 pothole lakes survive here. Though small — their mean size is 22 acres — they often form the centerpiece of towns like Fox Lake, Grayslake, and Lake Villa.

Dubbed "Gateway to the Lakes Region," Lake Villa, south and west of McDonald Woods, is the next-to-last stop on the Antioch Metra line. Across the street from the train station is Lehmann Park, named after one of the founders of this area. The large and sprawling park with playground fronts Cedar Lake. A few small bar-and-grill restaurants line the main street.

The Lake Villa Library is on the south side of Grand Avenue just west of Route 83. Further west on Route 132 are the Cultural Center of the Danube-Swabians and the American Aid Society of German Descendants, (847) 356-1051.

The village of Antioch is located north of Route 132 on Route 83. Antioch is restaurant-rich and holds some cultural attractions, an inn, and a family-run motel.

The Antioch Fine Arts Foundation, (847) 838-2274, 983 Main Street, is open Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment. The Foundation is a center for interaction among northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin artists. At the same address, The Gallery houses a rotating array of Foundation member artwork, ranging in price from $35 to $3,200, in addition to hosting classes and workshops. Admission is free.

A community theatre group has shows year-round in Antioch at the PM & L Theatre. Call (847) 395-3433 for their schedule of performances.

Foraging
A few eateries are located on the way to Lake Villa, as Sand Lake Road becomes Grand Avenue (Route 132). Grande Jake's, (847) 265-1411, at 2122 Grand Avenue in Linden Plaza offers old-fashioned homestyle Mexican cooking in a family atmosphere ($1.50-$14.95). Their extensive menu includes Fish Taco Fridays — $1.50 all day. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Rigby's Family Restaurant, (847) 356-4440, at 1910 Grand Avenue serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner ($6-$15), with carryout service.

In Antioch, a pleasant restaurant with fine American and European cuisine as well as French impressionist paintings on the walls is JT's Roadhouse, (847) 838-2015, at 1500 Main Street, about .5 miles south of 173 on Route 83. JT's offers soups, salads, burgers, and a full range of entrees ($6.95-$17.95). Closed Mondays.

Another Grande Jake's, (847) 838-4491, is at the corner of Routes 173 and 83 in Antioch. You can find German-American cuisine at Mark's Wunder-Bar Restaurant, (847) 395-8282, 40805 N. Route 83. Sausages, schnitzels, duck, schweine hacksen, and beer/wine specials are priced $12-$30. Closed Tuesdays.

Bedding Down
The Best Western Regency Inn, (847) 395-3606, is at the intersection of Routes 173 and 83 in Antioch. Rates range from $81.50-$117.50 per night. Children and youth under 17 are free.

Also in Antioch on Route 173 just east of 83 is the Sunset Motel (847) 395-1339. With 16 rooms (one with a new hot tub, six with kitchenettes), rates range from $50-$90 per night. Ask about special holiday rates.

See also a list of other motels and restaurants in the area.

Events
Photo Exhibition — "The Journey: The Next 100 Years"
As we entered the twenty-first century, 60 African-American photographers from the Chicago area were commissioned to capture events in their communities throughout metropolitan Chicago and northern Illinois. The photos span eight subject areas: the arts, the streets, brothers, sisters, families, the next generation, challenges, and faith. Over 180 black-and-white photos in this traveling exhibit are now on display in Lake County.

There is a companion e-zine to the touring exhibition, The Journey Magazine, which shows some of the photos. Another Web site features a conversation with the director of the project, Milbert O. Brown, who describes the scope of the project, and how it was done.

"The Journey: The Next 100 Years" runs through January 12, 2003, at three Lake County facilities: Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago, (847) 689-1600; Independence Grove Visitors Center in Libertyville, (847) 968-3499; and Lake County Discovery Museum in Wauconda, (847) 968-3400. Call or see their Web sites for dates and times.

— Gail Goldberger