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Local Nature Escapes
| Illinois Beach State ParkCurrent Hours: Sunrise to Sunset Location: Zion, IL 60099 Library staff Everet Meadors writes: I love to walk the Dead River Nature Trail and Dune Trail at the park. The nature trail is a 1.8 mile loop that leaves from the parking lot at the nature center (never open in any of my visits to the park) that runs south along the Dead River before leaving the river and running back to the center. The trail runs through a little open wood of short scraggly trees and underbrush. I've never seen much wildlife there other than birds, but there are a lot of birds. It's a really pleasant and pretty little area. Best of all you can hardly hear any cars. The Dune Trail starts at the lodge and runs south parallel to the lake shore but behind a low dune ridge before turning away from the lake and running through the woods to the nature center and then back to the lodge. The treat there is listening to the waves lap the beach and to the gulls. Both trails are amazingly peaceful, very quiet and calm except for the lake and the birds. When I went out on the beach the beauty almost took my breath away. Praise the Lord. |
Chicago Botanic Garden
Current Hours: 8am to Sunset Cost: Parking $15/car Location: 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Librarian Matt Ostercamp writes: A beautiful garden featuring lagoons surrounded by flowers and plants of all types. Especially beautiful in May when many of the trees are in bloom. Also a great place to see people from around the world enjoying the beauties of nature. |
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| Lake County Forest Preserve District
Current Hours: 6:30am to Sunset (most preserves) Location: All through out Lake County We are blessed in this area with several great forest preserves that are great for hiking, picnicking, or just escaping to a quiet place. Personal favorites include the Des Plaines River Trail and Independence Grove in Libertyville (which requires Lake County ID for free admission) |
The Morton Arboretum |
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