photo: Gail Nachel

Things to See: Wooded Areas

Discover your Chicago Wilderness wooded areas:

This site holds a healthy open savanna and woodland, home to 325 plant species. Visitor features include foot trails, parking, toilets, and a picnic area. For more information, call (708) 366-9420.

This site contains oak savanna and prairie habitats. Visitor features include parking, trails, picnic areas, and drinking water. For more information, call (630) 933-7200.

This site features wetland, woodland and prairie habitats. The preserve attracts herons, grassland birds, deer, foxes and coyotes. Visitor features include parking, trails and drinking water. An equestrian center is also located on this site. For more information, call (630) 933-7200.

This education center is located in open woodlands along salt creek. It's a good place to see migrating birds and other woodland fauna. Waterfowl congregate here in the winter. The center offers interpretation of natural areas. For more information, call (630) 850-8110.

There is a lot of variety in this gently rolling landscape. It features a rare tamarack bog, and contains Lake County's only known stand of wild Kentucky coffee trees. Visitor features include parking, drinking water, picnic shelters, and trails for hiking, bicycling and cross-country skiing. For more information, call (847) 948-7750.

This is a glacial kame supporting beautiful upland forests. Visitor features include foot trails, parking, toilets and a picnic area. For more information call (630) 232-5980.

This 2,063-acre forest preserve contains a mixture of oak woods, wetlands and fields. It is one of Lake County's most popular preserves but also contains pristine natural areas and habitat for endangered species. For more information, call (847) 367-6640.

McDonald Woods boasts steep ravines with lush vegetation including basswoods and sugar maples. The preserve also contains wetlands that are a haven for waterfowl, a thick pine grove and restored prairies and oak woodlands. Visitor features include parking, trails, restrooms, drinking water and picnic tables. For more information, call (847) 367-6640.

The Middlefork Savanna preserve features a mix of oak savanna and woodlands, wet and mesic prairies, sedge meadows and marshes. It supports an impressive list of uncommon birds, butterflies and other species that require large open areas for survival. Visitor features include parking, trails, drinking water and restrooms. For more information, call (847) 367-6640.

Miller Woods showcases one of the Chicago region's finest black oak savannas. The area also features interdunal ponds, towering sand dunes and stretches of white sandy beach. This is a good spot for hiking, birding, cross-country skiing and sunbathing. The nearby Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education offers exhibits and scheduled educational programs. For more information, call (219) 926-7561.

The Morton Arboretum offers opportunities to experience several types of Chicago area ecosystems. The Woodland Trail spans an oak savanna remnant and is a splendid place to view spring wildflowers. The Heritage Trail takes visitors through a deciduous woodland with upland and lowland habitats. For more information, call (630) 968-0074.

Norris Woods is a high-quality remnant of forests that historically bordered the Fox River. Visitor features include foot trails, other trails and parking. For more information call (630) 513-3338.

This 17.5-acre conservation area contains restored oak savanna, oak woodlands, and sedge meadow. It offers one half mile of walking trail and is a good spot for spring wildflower photography and bird watching. For more information, call (847) 985-2100.

In this preserve, large oaks dominate woodlands blending with small prairies. The preserve is a refuge for chorus frogs, and visitor features include foot trails, wheelchair trails, bicycle or horse trails, toilets, picnic areas and parking. For more information call (847) 367-6640.

This wooded island contains 16 acres of remnant oak savanna and open woodland. It hosts as many as 250 migratory and resident bird species and is also home to a variety of butterflies and dragonflies. For more information, call (312) 742-PLAY.

This site includes a rare sand savanna ecosystem. Visitor features include foot trails, parking, toilets, a canoe or boat launch and picnic tables. For more information, call (708) 868-0606.

This area features pristine woodlands, a rare northern flatwoods forest, a quiet river, and rare species and communities. Visitor features include foot trails, wheelchair trails, parking, toilets and a visitor center. For more information, call (847) 968-3321.

This site features 135 acres of restored native habitats, including prairies, woodlands and wetlands. Exhibits in the visitor center introduce guests to the area's wildlife and ecosystems. Natural history programs are available for families, children and adults. For more information, call (847) 985-2100.

This premier restored woodland harbors rare wildflowers. Visitor features include foot trails, wheel chair trails, horse or bicycle trails, parking, toilets and a picnic area. For more information, call (630) 933-7200.

Wolf Road Prairie contains a black soil savanna remnant. This type of ecosystem is considered more endangered than world rainforests. In mid-May the savanna understory blooms with wild hyacinths and other spring wildflowers. For more information call (708) 366-9420.

For more information about wooded communities in your area, call your local forest preserve district.

photo: Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

• Forest Preserve District of Cook County
  (708) 366-9420



• Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
  (630) 933-7200



• Forest Preserve District of Kane County
  (630) 232-5980



• Forest Preserve District of Will County
  (815) 727-8700



• Kendall County Forest Preserve District
  (630) 553-4025



• Lake County Forest Preserves
  (847) 367-6640

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