“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks” – John Muir
What a wonderful adventure through Crabtree Nature Center, a park located in the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Illinois. With more than 1,000 acres to explore, you can find yourself trekking through expansive prairies, shaded woodlands, and gorgeous wetlands.
I prefer unpaved surfaces, so this park was perfect with trails measuring around 3.4 miles. Their main trails include the Bur Edge Trail and Phantom Prairie Trail which loop back to the main building.
There’s also a nature exhibit, rehabilitated animals (we are lucky enough to see owls and a hawk), local events, and a storytrail. You can check out their upcoming events here.
While service dogs are allowed on the trail, pets are not.
I’ve always enjoyed nature trails that include educational signage, and Crabtree did not disappoint. Did you know that this area was formed by a glacier? Mastodons, Woolly Mammoths, and Giant Beavers used to roam these lands during the ice age 11,000 years ago.
Now, this area is ideal for birding. Don’t forget to bring your Birding Checklist and to use the hashtag #BirdThePreserves when you post pictures of your birds to social media.
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