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Best Nature Hikes & Chicago Outdoor Getaways

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
09-16-2021

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 1:30 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
09-16-2021

Chicago Nature Now! Alert
September 16, 2021
(Fall Color Preview & Final Report for 2021)

Weekly Wildflower Report

“Chicago’s Best Nature Outings, Outdoor Adventures,
Wildflower Walks, Nature Hikes, & Weekend Getaways!”

Don’t miss one beautiful moment. Click here to subscribe to receive FREE nature alerts!

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The 2021 Wildflower Scouting Season Has Come To An End

Thank you to my wonderful volunteer scouts who have devoted hundreds of hours and traveled thousands of miles to bring these free weekly reports to you and nature-starved Chicagoans!

As for our followers, please share with us how our service has contributed to your life. We’d love to hear about your adventures! You can write a comment by in this blog post, our ChicagoNatureNOW Explorers Facebook group, or send me an email. And please share this website with others, and ask them to subscribe. Now that autumn is only days away, the blooming season has effectively ended in terms of new dramatic wildflower shows. Therefore, this post will be our final wildflower alert for the 2021 growing season. Below, I suggest where to find any remaining blooms and kaleidoscopic fall color in the weeks to come.

HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR FALL COLOR WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN CHICAGO NATURE:

Even though the goldenrods and sunflowers are fading, the prairie is already displaying autumn colors in its foliage. And with the many asters and gentians that flower into October, the prairie becomes a beautiful mosaic of oranges, golds, reds, maroons, cyans, browns, and tans. In one small patch of prairie, it’s common to see more color than any autumn woodland. You’ll experience towering waves of red-stemmed grasses and the tawny, fluffy spikes of gayfeather glowing in the sunlight. Here’s a preview of what you can find in the scenic preserves and woodlands as they change into their autumn wardrobes: PRAIRIES TO VISIT THIS FALL:

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois: Visit the golden sand prairie close to the lake using the trail to the east. I love this place, which is why it tops the list.
Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois: This preserve offers open expanses of woodland, wetland, and prairie that is my personal favorite preserve of the fall season. Click here for the location of the trailhead that goes west into the prairies.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois: This preserve is really a savanna, but it features many prairie plants that offer rich autumn color and texture. The many flowers and grasses that have brought us joy throughout the growing season are now performing their final show of the year.
Lake in the Hills Fen: Visit this vast preserve to experience the grand grassland expanse that runs to a distant horizon. Wow!
Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, Illinois: This prairie offers hundreds of species with a wonderful combination of color and texture. Walk (or drive) to the prairie house at the north end and view the prairie expanse from the deck.
Chiwaukee Prairie in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin: This large prairie offers an array of changing colors, including blooms of fringed and prairie gentians that last through the end of September.
Theodore Stone Preserve: The seas of grasses are beautiful. There are two different prairies here: a mesic prairie on the west side of the preserve (near the main entrance) and a dolomite (limestone) prairie on the east side. There is also a woodland trail that offers some canopy color.
Kickapoo Prairie in Riverdale, Illinois: This is a beautiful prairie very close to Chicago’s city limits with a sea of grasses.
Powderhorn Prairie: Experience the fall color of the prairie at the most biodiverse natural area within the city limits of Chicago.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: Visit the prairie for tall expanses of grasses and colorful foliage from the forbs. And while you’re on your way in, stop under the trees to receive a hug from the gallant oaks.
Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest, Illinois: Contrary to the name, the preserve offers an expanse of prairie that looks great in the fall.
Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates, Illinois: Hike this hill prairie and the large grassland at its base.
Belmont Prairie in Downers Grove, Illinois: This intimate remnant prairie is beautiful throughout the year. And because it’s quite small, your visits may be quite short, but always quite memorable.
Lockport Prairie in Lockport, Illinois: This prairie features a wonderful expanse of tall, waving grasses on a short out-and-back trail.

WOODLANDS TO VISIT THIS FALL:

Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois: Asters bloom into the first week of October along with white snakeroot and elm-leaved goldenrod. And because there is a mix of tree species, the color range is spectacular. The wetlands are beautiful as they reflect the surrounding color. And you’ll find lots of great hiking over the rolling terrain.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois: The black oak savanna takes up the majority of this preserve. You can spend all day exploring.
Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook, Illinois: Because this is an oak savanna, the tree color is not as colorful as woodlands with a variety of species. Combined with the understory in the prairie-like expanse, this is a wonderful preserve to visit.
Black Partridge Woods in Lemont, Illinois: This is a magical place with steep bluffs, a beautiful stream, and maples that scream gold. Wow! This is another favorite preserve of mine.
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien, Illinois: This vast preserve is a very popular spot for hikers, bikers, and fall-color chasers. The tree colors in the woodland and savanna is very nice and I love the views along Sawmill Creek. It’s beautiful, but there are crowds of people on the weekends, especially around the man-made waterfall.
Raccoon Grove Nature Preserve in Monee, Illinois: Like Black Partridge Woods, this site features a beautiful creek and a wonderful woodland where maples turn to gold.
Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin: The intimate oak savanna is a dream come true! Stand under the tawny tones of venerable oaks and feel their warm embrace. Then continue on the trail into the prairie and fen, where unexpected color and texture complete the autumn experience.
Pembroke Savanna in Hopkins Park, Illinois: This is the finest example of a black oak savanna anywhere in the world. For fall color, the black oaks can be a bit understated, but there is a wealth of color in the understory. I love the feel of this preserve. And you’re likely to be alone because the preserve is not frequently visited.
Messenger Woods in Lockport, Illinois: This large woodland offers a golden maple forest.
Pilcher Park in Joliet, Illinois: This hardwood maple woodland offers great color. But keep in mind that it’s a popular preserve. Go early for the best experience.
Miller Woods in Indiana Dunes National Park: This is a big, beautiful preserve that features a black oak savanna with a rich understory. And the ferns are fun!
Cowles Bog Trail in Indiana Dunes National Park: Walk the trail through the colorful black oak savanna. At a point along the trail, choose the fork to the right. Soon, you’ll be taken over a steep dune and onto a spectacular panorama of waving golden grasses along the sandy shores of a blue Lake Michigan. Wow!
Sagawau Canyon: Call them to register for a canyon tour, or just go for a walk through the colorful woodland and prairie.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

HUMMINGBIRDS! The hummingbirds are here! You can find them buzzing about at many nature centers including: Sagawau Canyon, Pilcher Park (at the nature center and south of the greenhouse), and Little Red Schoolhouse.

ACROBATIC FERNS Miller Woods, Tolleston Dunes, Cowles Bog Trail, and Hoosier Prairie (all in northwestern Indiana) are leaping with gymnastic ferns that are beginning to change into their autumn color

PLANT OF THE WEEK: THE ASTERS (marking the end of the blooming season)

Asters come in a variety of colors: white, pink, purple, and blue. The name comes from an Ancient Greek word for “star.” You can find them in most prairies and savannas, and in some wetlands around the region. This is an image of New England aster, which is just one of the many species of aster that bloom at this time of year. Click here for a complete (pdf) list of local asters and goldenrods.

PHOTO SECTION

Bottle Gentians (through late September, possibly into October)

Bottle gentian (or closed gentian) is fully dependent on bumblebees for its survival. The petals of this unusual flower are effectively closed to other insects, but the strong bumblebee is able to muscle its way in through the tip. Late in the season, when fewer plants are blooming, bottle gentian relies on the slim pickings for pollination, hoping bumblebees won’t mind the extra effort.*

These are not flowers that fill the landscape, but they are sublime. Look closely and you’ll find them at Lake in the Hills Fen, Wolf Road Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Powderhorn Prairie, and Belmont Prairie. When I first set eyes upon these fading blooms of bottle gentian, I was taken aback, struck by an arrow through my heart. Instantly, I fell in love with the prettiest flowers I had ever seen. Maybe I was just having one of those days, but I was close to tears.*

Fringed Gentian (through late September, possibly into October)

Gorgeous fringed gentians bloom in September. However, the flowers are diurnal, meaning that the the blooms only open up with the sun and are closed at night and, sometimes, on cloudy days.*

Gorgeous fringed gentian blooms in September. However, the flowers are diurnal, meaning that the the blooms only open up with the sun and are closed at night and, sometimes, on cloudy days. You can find them at preserves like Bluff Spring Fen, Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Chiwaukee Prairie.

The Tallgrass Prairie

Big bluestem grass gives the true meaning to the term "tallgrass prairie."*

Here at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, big bluestem grass gives true meaning to the term “tallgrass prairie.” Find big bluestem at Belmont Prairie, Somme Prairie Grove, Shoe Factory Road Prairie, Wolf Road Prairie, Fermilab Prairie, Gensburg Markham Prairie, Kickapoo Prairie, Spears Woods, Theodore Stone Preserve, and other local prairies over the next several weeks.*

Grasses sparkle with dew in the morning prairie Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.*

The grasses of Canada wild rye and big bluestem sparkle with dew in the morning prairie at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.

The plume of Canada wild rye covered drenched in morning dew at Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin, Illinois.

As a photographer, the grass called Canada wild rye is a favorite of mine. The flower heads resemble those of wheat or rye. Rabbits and deer like this plant for the taste of its young foliage. But the seed heads are much less appetizing. Each seed head is a sharp awn, a little spear that can easily puncture the mouths of deer and cause problems as it travels through their digestive tracts. The drooping heads beautifully capture the morning dew for everyone to see and to feel as they swoosh to-and-fro across your body. They are the paintbrushes of the prairie. I photographed this perfect plume of Canada wild rye with my clothes soaked from my trek through the dew-drenched prairie. On this day, the landscape painted the artist.

Acrobatic Ferns

Royal ferns in the light fog of the savanna at Hoosier Prairie in Highland, Indiana

Royal fern spread across in the light foggy savanna at Hoosier Prairie in Schererville, Indiana.*

A forest of royal ferns thrives in a wetland that has formed at the base of a high dune.*

In the Cowles Bog Trail area, you’ll find many species of fern. Here, a forest of royal fern thrives in a wetland that has formed at the base of a high dune. And you can find more ferns at Miller Woods.*

Get Outdoors and Discover What Autumn Can Bring:

At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois, where the prairie meets the woodland, late-September grasses turn to gold.*

At Spears Woods, with the warm evening light falling on this October prairie, the tubular tops of blazing star burned with a golden glow; but not two months earlier, they blazed with purple passion.
Autumn transformed the cylindrical inflorescence of hundreds of feathery purple flowers into a column of invisible seeds—invisible because what we see is not the seed but the achene, a dry fruit with a single seed hidden inside. On this plant, also known as gayfeather, each achene, by design, forms a downy tan plume that takes to the air to be scattered by the wind.*

At Spears Woods, this ephemeral pond becomes a portal into an afternoon of autumn splendor.*

Rare marram grass dominates the foredune along the shore of Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois.

Rare marram grass dominates the flavescent foredune along the shore of Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion, Illinois.*

At Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, this radiant bush reaching out into the sand prairie is shrubby cinquefoil. In the summer, the plant is undramatic. Like a long, drawn-out fireworks display, it releases its arsenal of flowers over a two- to three-month period as one flower explodes over here and another over there. But, in the fall, with foliage burning bright, shrubby cinquefoil goes all out, putting on one of the finest finales of any plant. There’s a lesson here. This fall, spare yourself the stiff neck from staring up at the trees and visit the prairie where you’ll find more color than in any woodland.*

At Illinois Beach Nature Preserve , wise oaks in this savanna spread their branches wide to allow the sun’s rays to nourish the diverse community of plants below. These enlightened trees have learned that sharing the light with life at the bottom ensures not only their survival but also the prospect of reaching new heights.*

In the fall at Illinois Beach Nature Preserve , don’t just stare up at the trees. Look down. There’s a bounty of color at your feet. Here, a black oak leaf landed amidst a bed of pasture rose with leaves more vibrant than any tree in this savanna.*

Acrobatic cinnamon ferns take hold in the soggy ground of Cowles Bog, which is not a bog at all but, rather, a wetland known as a fen.

Acrobatic cinnamon fern take hold in the soggy ground of Cowles Bog Trail, which is not a bog at all but, rather, a wetland known as a fen.*

As you hike the boardwalk and the narrow sections of the Cowles Bog Trail, you may find yourself glancing down to watch your step. But in the fall, remember to raise your eyes to view the scenery in the skies.*

At Spears Woods in Willow Springs, Illinois, the glorious autumn *canopy of white oak bring dramatic color to the open woodland.

In the fall at Black Partridge Woods, I head to the high vantage point of these bluffs to immerse myself in the intoxicating colors and textures of the tiered foliage. Down below, the creek bed is dry. But when the flow returns, fallen leaves will ride the colorful currents that reflect the radiant dome.*

Compared to the golden maples of autumn, oaks can be a bit understated. Here at Bluff Spring Fen, this bur oak, when placed in the spotlight, certainly puts on a show.*

Visit Raccoon Grove in the fall for its golden maples and picturesque stream.*

At Waterfall Glen in Darien, Illinois, autumn is spectacular along Sawmill Creek.

Every October, I am drawn to the banks of Sawmill Creek at Waterfall Glen for the annual celebration of golden maples. On this particular day, the stream turned to a trickle, its rocky bed transformed into the staging area for a colorful, yet peculiar, parade—one that waits for rainfall in order to proceed.*

* Photo is representational and was not recorded this year. Bloom times vary from year to year.

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—Mike

ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
09-09-2021

Posted by Mike MacDonald on 2:38 pm in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on ChicagoNatureNow! ALERT
09-09-2021

Chicago Nature NOW! Alert
September 9, 2021

“Weekly Wildflower Reports Featuring
Chicago’s Best Outdoor Getaways & Nature Trips”

Chicago’s Best Weekend Walks & Outdoor Getaways!

Don’t miss one beautiful moment.
Click here to subscribe to receive FREE nature alerts!

Each week, we offer you opportunities to find peace during this trying time!
PLEASE DONATE IF WE’VE HELPED YOU FIND SOLACE IN NATURE.

Donate to Our GoFundMe Campaign

WILDFLOWER HIGHLIGHTS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR ADVENTURES INTO CHICAGO’S WOODLANDS:

September is The Month of Gold. The final glorious flower show of the growing season is at peak bloom with brilliant goldenrods and smiling sunflowers, including the sky-high blooms of sawtooth sunflower. Last year, I found a thirteen-footer at Wolf Road Prairie. So bring your tape measure!

The grasses are beautiful, too, as they begin to don their fall colors, including the tall grasses of Indian and big bluestem, chest-high Canada wild rye, waist-high little bluestem, and knee-high prairie dropseed with plumes that smell like slightly burnt buttered popcorn. While we’re on the topic of smelling things, this is when the rich, brown teardrop seeds of foxglove beardtongue are at their finest. They smell exactly like barf! But do not fear, not far along the trail you can chase it down with a wonderful life-affirming whiff of the leaves and seeds of mountain mint or wild bergamot.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When visiting a preserve before ten o’clock in the morning, wear rain gear or you could end up soaked to the skin from the dew. A pioneer of the prairie once remarked, “Walking through a dewy stand of big bluestem is like jumpin’ in the creek.” And I can vouch for that.

Goldenrod is blooming everywhere, right now, but don’t worry about your allergies because goldenrod is NOT responsible for triggering them. Yes, you read that right. The pollen of goldenrod is so heavy that it drops to the ground. Therefore, it can’t float through air to be inhaled. The real culprit is common ragweed that blooms at the same time. This is also when many of the asters begin to flower, which marks the end of the blooming season. There are so many asters and goldenrods that it’s hard to identify them all. Click here for a complete (pdf) list of local asters and goldenrods. And, right now, you can see white snakeroot, the deadly plant that killed thousands in the 1800’s. You can smell it and touch it, BUT DON’T EAT IT! Watch this video to learn more:

For a greater appreciation of our native habitats, touch and smell the plants. (But don’t eat them unless you know what you’re doing.) Run your fingers across the soft tan tassels of Indian grass and atop the rough, sometimes smooth, leaves of our many sunflowers. Tickle your hand as you pass through a cloudy plume of prairie dropseed. And while you’re there, stop and pay attention to its rich fragrance of slightly burnt buttered popcorn. Receive the strong and refreshing fragrance of mint from the fading flowers of mountain mint and wild bergamot. The seeds of yellow coneflower smell like licorice, while the seeds of purple prairie clover give off my favorite good smell in Chicago nature—a transfusion of lemons and carrots. So, what is my favorite bad smell? That would be the brown, teardrop seed ball of foxglove beardtongue. When in bloom, the white snapdragon flowers have no appreciable smell. But beginning around the end of August, the seeds smell exactly like vomit. Some say, “moldy socks.” Either way, it’s fabulous!

SUMMARY OF THE BEST WILDFLOWER SHOWS:

Lake in the Hills Fen is a wonder, right now, with its grand panoramic vistas of gold.

Wolf Road Prairie is putting on its spectacular annual show of sawtooth sunflower. And on Saturday, September 11, the Save the Prairie Society is holding its Annual Old Fashioned Prairie Fest. Bring the kids! And if I’m lucky (and you are not), I may see you there.

Spears Woods is providing fantastic experiences with lots of sawtooth sunflower, long-bracted tickseed sunflower, and goldenrod. The walk through the prairies, woodlands, and wetlands is probably the finest in the region.

Somme Prairie Grove is aflower in gold and in the gentians of cream, stiff, prairie, and bottle.

Bluff Spring Fen is featuring a vast array of wildflowers in a serene and magical setting.

Shoe Factory Road Prairie is bursting with showy goldenrod and flavescent tall dropseed grass.

Middlefork Savanna is blooming in colorful abundance with over twenty native species.

If you’re looking for longer walks, try our larger preserves: Illinois Beach Nature Preserve, Spears Woods, Somme Prairie Grove, Middlefork Savanna, and Lake in the Hills Fen.

WHERE TO GO THIS WEEKEND FOR A SPRING WILDFLOWER GETAWAY AROUND CHICAGO:

We’ve ranked the preserves on this week’s list based on the quality of the wildflower experience, starting out with the best or “Go!” The “Go, if You’re in the Neighborhood” section is for sites that are worth visiting if you can’t get out to our top-rated preserves. And our “Preserves for You to Scout” section for those preserves that we couldn’t get to this week, but that you can help us explore! The date within the parentheses tells you when we last scouted the preserve. After the date, you may see one of these three mathematical symbols: +, –, = (plus, minus, equal). They represent our prediction about how the flowers will look on the coming weekend: “+” is Probably Better; “-” is Probably Less Dramatic; “=” is Probably the Same. Notice the word “probably.”

THIS WEEK’S BEST (“GO!”):

The order of the preserves below is based on the quality of the wildflower experience, starting out with the best.

Lake in the Hills Fen in Lake in the Hills (9/5=): Panoramic Beauty! This preserve offers a dramatic panoramic view that is best appreciated at edges of daylight, when it’s not hot and sunny. Enjoy an array of flowers that flow along the vast rolling terrain of the prairie and fen. The landscape is awash in the golden hues of late summer combined with a great show of rough blazing star and oceans of tall grasses that wave in the warm prairie winds. Along your journey, you’ll experience the goldenrods of showy goldenrod, stiff, tall, and field along with throngs of skyward sawtooth sunflower and the occasional sprays of tall coreopsis and rosinweed. You’ll also find the pinks of obedient plant, spotted Joe-Pye weed, pasture thistle. And along the fens you may find grass-of-Parnassus, great blue lobelia, and swamp betony. White goldenrod is blooming on a gravelly kame near the entrance. However, it looks nothing like goldenrod and more like an aster. NOTE: If you visit in the morning, wear waterproof pants and shoes, otherwise you’ll probably get soaked from the dew.

Spears Woods in Willow Springs (9/8=): An adventure! I love this preserve for its varied habitats, topography, and personalities. And it’s big enough to fill a good part of your day with hiking. The golds of September are now on display in the prairies as sawtooth sunflower and its shorter counterpart, long-bracted tickseed sunflower, are joined by tall coreopsis, stiff goldenrod, and others of that ilk. There’s a beautiful display of ivory long-bracted tickseed sunflower and false aster along the trail in a low section of the westmost prairie. The latter likes its roots a little wet. There are some other flowers that should catch your eye along the way, including the ivories of tall boneset and the purplish hues of pasture thistle, ironweed, New England aster, and slender false foxglove. The most prominent grasses are big bluestem and Indian grass. They sway in the prairie winds amongst a subtle color palette of plants that have exited the main stage. The woodlands have a bit of a sparkle, with elm-leaved goldenrod, white snakeroot, and a variety of asters. But soon, when the cool autumn air fully ignites their foliage, they will return for an encore performance. NOTE: Theodore Stone Preserve and Wolf Road Prairie are not far away.

Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester (8/30+): Golden! On Saturday, September 11, the Save the Prairie Society is holding its Annual Old Fashioned Prairie Fest. The prairie is at peak bloom, aflame with gold thanks to a sparkling show of sawtooth sunflower and goldenrods, like tall and stiff goldenrod. You’ll find a variety of silvery bonesets, yellow tall coreopsis and rosinweed, pink obedient plant, and the purples of ironweed. You’ll also find a smattering of multi-colored asters and gentians. The late-summer grasses of big bluestem and Indian grass soften the sharp textures and add to the mix of gold and silver. NOTE: Theodore Stone Preserve and Spears Woods are not far away.

Bluff Spring Fen in Elgin (9/7=): Peaceful! There are many species of flowers across the preserve, which is why I think it’ll be among the top preserves to visit. Begin your hike at the main trailhead that winds you under the trees and along the kames of the oak savanna, around the sunny prairie, and through the main fen. Enter the oak savanna from the kiosk to find white snakeroot, various asters and goldenrods, tall boneset, and large flowered false foxglove, and the whimsical bottlebrush grass. At the troll bridge, where friendly trolls have helped to restore the adjacent wetland habitat, look to your right for a fading expanse of purple spotted Joe-Pye weed, great blue lobelia, swamp thistle, sawtooth sunflower, New England and other asters. Continuing under the protection of oaks, on your right at the base of the kame, you’ll see another wonderful show of golden wingstem and a little bit of cutleaf coneflower. When you reach the big kame, take the narrow trail on your left to the top. On your way up, look for a display of sprawling and whimsical bottlebrush grass. Once at the gravelly peak, you’ll experience a unique view of the preserve. Go back down from whence you “kame,” turn left on the main trail, and then make a right as you reach the end of the wooded savanna. Once under the sun, you’ll find fading spindly tall coreopsis, stiff goldenrod, lots of tall goldenrod, and the flowering tassels of big bluestem, and beautiful flourishes of Canada wild rye, As the trail veers left to the east, you’ll again pass through sprawling stands of blooming big bluestem and into a gravelly area. (This is exactly the kind of place where you’ll get drenched to the skin in morning dew, so wear your rain gear.) Ahead to your right is the “transplant kame.” In 1990, Healy Road Prairie, located six miles away, was being mined for its gravel, and a community of hundreds of volunteers dug it up and transplanted it here. (Read more about it here and here.) Years before, the transplant kame was also mined to the ground, but it was reconstructed to become the new home of Healy Road Prairie. On that kame, you’ll find some showy goldenrod and stiff goldenrod alongside many plants changing into their autumn wardrobes. Make a left at the end of the kame to descend into the beautiful bowl of the fen where you’ll discover goldenrods, swamp betony, flat-topped aster, swamp thistle, Kalm’s lobelia, fringed gentian, and great blue lobelia. Move slowly and watch your step as you pass through dense willows (which desperately need trimming). Be careful not to trip on the narrow boardwalk that immediately awaits you by the willows! Cross the boardwalk to find some spotted Joe-Pye weed and late boneset. After you cross the second boardwalk, stay straight (don’t veer left), as the trail ducks under a low tree so that you can scale up the side of the switchback kame where a small bloom of purple rough blazing star awaits. As the trails steers left and down, you’ll see some of the same species as before. Continue left across the creek where you’ll find goldenrod and fringed gentian. And finally, follow the path to the left of the big kame and back around to the right where you’ll be led back to the parking lot.
NOTE: If you visit early in the morning, wear rain gear or you’ll end up soaked to the skin from dew. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Middlefork Savanna in Lake Forest (Unscouted. Last scouted on 8/30.): We didn’t scout here this week, but it should still be looking great because last week, there were more than twenty blooming species. This is a large preserve with wide trails made for hiking and biking. Many plants are blooming gold, including the goldenrods (grass-leaved, stiff, tall, etc.) alongside the composite blooms of rosinweed, cup plant, sawtooth sunflower, compass plant, tall coreopsis, and prairie dock. Highlights of pearl can be seen in tall boneset. The fluffy tops of ironweed add some purple. And there’s much more to see: obedient plant, lots of wild bergamot, and New England aster. In the wetter areas, you’ll find the deep-pink blooms of spotted Joe-Pye weed and the spectacular blossoms of halberd-leaved rose mallow.

GO, IF YOU’RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD:

Shoe Factory Road Prairie in Hoffman Estates (9/9=): A gem! This Illinois Nature Preserve is located inside the fence, where the color is dominated by a large display of the flamboyant showy goldenrod. Atop the hill, amidst a sea of short flavescent grass known as tall dropseed, you’ll find some remaining pink blooms of obedient plant, a smattering of purple rough blazing star, and the start of New England aster. As you pan across the landscape, you also find the golden blooms tall coreopsis and the goldenrods of stiff and field. The woodland is overflowing with yellow and whites, mostly comprised of tall goldenrod and tall boneset along with cup plant and tall coreopsis. Outside the fence, you’ll also find an abundance of blooms and seas of late-summer-toned grasses. NOTE: Consider visiting Bluff Spring Fen while you’re here. It’s roughly in the neighborhood.

Somme Prairie Grove in Northbrook (9/1=): Resplendent! The woodland surrounding the savanna is alive with yellow-petaled sweet coneflower, sneezeweed, and large flowered false foxglove alongside alabaster blooms of boneset, browning plumes of sweet Joe-Pye weed, purple buttons of ironweed, and the perfectly named bottlebrush grass. Under the open sky, golden rays of towering sawtooth sunflower steal the show, costarring prairie dock and tall coreopsis. Closer to the ground are dozens of other flowers that may take your breath away with their sparkling textures and colors. These include the elegant cream gentian, the blues of bottle, stiff and prairie gentian, various goldenrods, the pinks of obedient plant, the purples of pasture thistle and rough and savanna blazing star, in addition to multi-colored asters. You’ll find waves of tall grasses that will douse you with early morning dew. Then there’s prairie dropseed, with its floppy stringy hairdos and fragrant plumes that smell like slightly burnt buttered popcorn. But watch your step. They’re very easy to trip over. NOTE: If you visit in the morning, wear waterproof pants and shoes, otherwise you’ll probably get soaked from the dew.

Illinois Beach Nature Preserve in Zion (8/30=): Always pretty! Even though the annual show of the purple rough blazing star did not arrive this year, this is still the best preserve around. Period. Go to appreciate the beautiful and varied scenery, a stroll along the sandy lakeshore, and the many late-season flowers and grasses, including western sunflower, showy goldenrod, large flowered false foxglove, and the feathery Indian grass.

Theodore Stone Preserve in Hodgkins (Unscouted. Last scouted on 8/18.): The preserve wasn’t scouted, so I’ll expect you’ll find fading rough blazing star blooming in the gravel on the eastern prairie. And I also expect a sea of grasses and a prominent mix of yellow and white flowers. The beautiful flowing grasses include Indian grass, big bluestem, little bluestem, switch grass, Canada wild rye, and side-oats grama. The yellow hues are made up of the dainty blooms of sawtooth sunflower, tall coreopsis, rosinweed, and a few different goldenrods. And you’re bound to find lots of white boneset. There are probably some asters blooming in the western prairie. NOTE: Spears Woods and Wolf Road Prairie are not too far away.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie in Markham (Unscouted.) NOTE: The preserve is NOT LOCKED. It only looks that way. The chain is just draped over the top of the gate. Just move the chain and enter. We didn’t scout this preserve, but we’d expect to find golden displays of stiff and , tall coreopsis, long-bracted tickseed sunflower, sawtooth sunflower, and sneezeweed. Alabaster displays of tall boneset should be growing in several locations, while slender false foxglove, pasture thistle, ironweed, rough blazing star, and big bluestem add splashes of color and texture to the prairie canvas. NOTE: Under the summer sun, this prairie can feel hot and bright. For a more enjoyable time, visit in the morning or late-afternoon.