Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is about 8 miles south of Joliet IL. It's the largest open uncultivated space in the entire state of Illinois - located on a former armaments arsenal. Midewin is still very much a work in progress, as both conservation experts and enthusiastic volunteers are working diligently but with respect for nature to return this place to a state as close as possible to the way that it was before the arrival of Europeans in the 1700s. And - excitingly - that does mean that bison will be returning here before too long!
The site is administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture, not the Parks Service - which explains why it lacks some of the amenities that you might expect if it were run by the NPS. However, there is a good welcome center where you can pick up maps and other information, and the staff there are very helpful for directing to trails or spaces in the site that might appeal to the interests of a particular visitor.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is about 8 miles south of Joliet IL. It's the largest open uncultivated space in the entire state of Illinois - located on a former armaments arsenal. Midewin is still very much a work in progress, as both conservation experts and enthusiastic volunteers are working diligently but with respect for nature to return this place to a state as close as possible to the way that it was before the arrival of Europeans in the 1700s. And - excitingly - that does mean that bison will be returning here before too long!
The site is administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture, not the Parks Service - which explains why it lacks some of the amenities that you might expect if it were run by the NPS. However, there is a good welcome center where you can pick up maps and other information, and the staff there are very helpful for directing to trails or spaces in the site that might appeal to the interests of a particular visitor.