Relax and enjoy a country outing with your family and friends . . . visit one of the District's six interpretive facilities. Learn the natural history of your area. Exhibits and labels are changed seasonally. Staff naturalists are available to answer questions and to provide nature interpretation.
Areas near each facility offer picnicking, hiking, and recreation; however, no picnicking is allowed at the facility proper. Visitors are restricted to labeled trails to protect and preserve the area's ecology. Please. pets are NOT permitted.
No concession stands are available. Groups will find ample parking for cars and buses. Groups must make reservations.
See the official page.
Ecology is the underlying theme. Relationships between plants, animals and their environment are stressed. Emphasis is on the native oak-hickory forest and the prairie communities. Examples of each local plant-animal community can be seen along the nature trails (from 20 to 90 minutes long). Also at the center are a resident Canada Goose flock, wildlife observation blinds, wildflowers, prairie and aquatic exhibits.
Location: Entrance is on Palatine Rd., One mile west of Barrington Rd., or one-half mile east of Algonquin Rd., Barrington.
More on the Crabtree Nature Center.
See the official page.
Center exhibits native mammals, fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Also to be seen are Indian displays, an organic garden, a herb garden, a honeybee colony, an orchard, and seasonal displays in the museum. There are three self-guiding nature trails, each 1/2 mile in length, emphasizing the ecology of local plant and animal communities. Sugar maple festival held each spring in March; honey festival held each fall in October.
More on the River Trail Nature Center.
Location: West side, Milwaukee Ave., 3/4 mile southeast of River Rd., Northbrook.
See the official page.
Built in 1886, the schoolhouse now contains a variety of displays on natural history, including live native animals. Features found outside include a garden, a waterfowl feeding area, wildflowers, prairie restoration, and an orchard. Self-guiding nature trails are 15, 30, or 60 minutes in length. An annual Art & Craft Fair is held on the first Sunday of October.
More on the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center.
Location: West side of Willow Springs Rd. (104th Ave.), 1/2 mile south of 95th St., Willow Springs.
See the official page.
Sand Ridge emphasizes the natural history of the Calumet region and its relation to the geological past. Three nature trails, the exhibit building, and pioneer exhibits show the physical, biological, social, and historical relationships of man and his environment.
During the warmer months, the center's vegetable garden displays pioneer, contemporary and unusual vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
More on the Sand Ridge Nature Center.
Location: On Paxton Ave. two blocks north
of 159th St., South Holland.
See the official page.
Camp Sagawau, located in southwest Cook County near Lemont, is an environmental education center established to promote the study of nature in a relaxed setting. It is open only for scheduled programs. Some of these are: environmental education workshops; college credit courses; outdoor nature photography; naturalist guided walks; field trips for adult groups, college and high school classes; winter Nordic ski program.
Field Camp: The camp is available as an environmental field station for college and adult groups. These programs are customized for your group.
Sagawau Canyon Nature Preserve: The canyon is a unique area with unusual plants and rock formations. Visitation is permitted but some age and other restrictions have been established to protect the ecology of this fragile site.
Location: Camp Sagawau is located 100 yards east of Archer Ave. or four miles west of the Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides on Rt. 83 near Lemont, Illinois.
See the official page.
The museum is suitable for short visits by families, children, and small groups. There are no nature trails. Group reservations must be made by calling the museum.
Location: Southwest corner at the intersection of Thatcher Ave., and Chicago Ave., River Forest.
More on the Trailside Museum.
This page is based on a publication of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Illinois, adapted for the web as a public service by CLONK. This web site is unofficial, and not associated in any way with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. CLONK is not responsible for any errors, either in the original publication or in this web version. The information presented here follows the original Forest Preserve District publication as closely as possible, with minor variations such as choice of typeface and added web links. CLONK cautions that items such as names of public servants and telephone numbers are subject to change!
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