Greet Baby Bison at Midewin, Chase a Waterfall or Help Rebuild a Prairie: 6 Picks for Outdoor Weekend Adventures

Patty Wetli | October 17, 2024, 5:27 pm

We usually organize this round-up of outdoor adventures in alphabetical order, county-wise, but we have a good reason for going out of order this week. Without further ado....

WILL COUNTY: Baby Bison Boom

One of the new bison calves recently born at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. (Courtesy U.S. Forest Service)

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There are baby bison at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie!

Two calves were born in recent weeks, coming as quite a surprise considering that female bison typically give birth between April and June.

The little ones — not so little really, at 40 to 50 pounds — join a herd that was established at Midewin in 2015.

Want to see these cuties? Given Midewin’s vast acreage, there’s no guarantee of a bison sighting, but staff have tips for visitors on the best places for potential bison viewing.

Trails at Midewin are open daily; welcome center hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

COOK COUNTY: Fall Paddle Festival

Here’s a twist on the usual fall fest: Head to Skokie Lagoons for a festival celebrating activities on and off the water, including canoeing, fishing and archery. Fear not, there will still be pumpkin painting.

The event is set for Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Tower Road Boat Launch.

DuPAGE COUNTY: Pumpkin Night Hike

(winyuu / iStock)

Enjoy a hike through Fullersburg Woods lit by lanterns and jack-o’-lanterns, with a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt for kids and a treat at the end.

Cost is $10 per person, ages 3 and under are free. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Swing by Saturday, with hikes heading out every 15 minutes between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; trails close at 9 p.m. The forest preserve website has more information.

KANE COUNTY: Go Chasing Waterfalls

There are parts of the country where waterfalls are so common, they're practically ho-hum. Illinois is not one of those places.

Check out the 8-foot cascade — created by nature, not a dam — at Jon J. Duerr Forest Preserve in South Elgin, along the Riverbend Bike Trail.

Visitors also recommend walks through the preserve's woodland or along the bank of the Fox River.

LAKE COUNTY: Fall Color Is for the Birds

Charlotte Pavelka and Doug Reitz on bird monitoring duty, June 2022, at Captain Daniel Wright Woods. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

Captain Daniel Wright Woods in Mettawa is a hot spot for birding, making it a great place for newcomers to try their hand at the hobby.

Experienced birders will be on hand with spotting scopes and binoculars, 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, for a free birdwatching session. No registration is required.

With its large stands of maple trees, Wright Woods is also known for its fall colors. You can soak up those views — made all the better by habitat restoration efforts — on your own schedule.

McHENRY COUNTY: Rebuild a Prairie

The 65-acre Sands Main Street Prairie in Cary is home to a rare gravel hill prairie ecosystem of such high quality it’s been protected as an Illinois Nature Preserve. Volunteers are committed to maintaining its pre-settlement condition, and you can help.

Join Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves on Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon, for a tour of the site followed by seed collection from the prairie's native plants. The seeds will then be distributed in areas of the prairie in need of a boost.

Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]