Get Directions to Gensburg-Markham Prairie
(See essential “Access & Parking” information below.)
Conveniently located amidst the urban sprawl is a large, luscious prairie. Just exit the tollway, enter the magical gate, and leave your worries behind.

Gensburg-Markham Prairie is famous for its late July fanfare, when the fields ignite with white sparks of flowering spurge and purple torches of marsh blazing star.
Features:
- Large prairie spanning the area of more than one hundred football fields
- Wetlands
- Butterflies and birds
Highlights:
- May: Cream wild indigo and unfurling forests of ferns
- July: Dramatic pageant of blazing star
Best Times to Visit:
- May through September for the wildflowers
Access & Parking: Park in the gravel lot at the end of the road where you’ll see a long six-foot-tall chain-link fence. The entry gate brandishes a heavy lock and chain, which acts as a decoy since it’s merely draped over the top. Just move the chain and enter. Don’t let the entrance frighten you away. Once inside this beautiful preserve, you’ll instantly forget the distractions outside its borders.
Restrooms: There’s a McDonald’s restaurant on the corner of Whipple & 159th Street and there are many other establishments in the area.
Mike’s Thoughts: The preserve is hidden in a quiet Markham neighborhood with the I-294 Tollway along its eastern border.
Learn more about Gensburg-Markham Prairie from these websites: