THE SCENE
Delta kames, glacial moraines, tallgrass savannas, kettles, meadows, and the meandering Nippersink Creek

Highlights
Hikes along tall morainal ridges with long views. Paddling and fishing in a grade-A stream. Prime fall birding

Stats
3,125 acres (roughly 400 acres of nature preserve); 6.7 miles of hiking trails

Behind the scenes
Fifteen years ago, before restoration, there were only 30 acres of wetlands and 3 acres of prairie in the park. The rest was agricultural land.

Getting there
Take Route 31 to the city of McHenry. Turn west onto Harts Road and follow it a half-mile to the park.

Fall 2004

A rolling terrain with restored kames looks lush decorated in fall colors; restored marshes are home to abundant waterfowl

McHenry County, Illinois

"Biological eye candy!" That's what Ed Collins of the McHenry County Conservation District calls Glacial Park Conservation Area in Ringwood, Illinois, with its unusual topography, stunning vastness, and variety of plants and grassland birds.

Glaciers scoured holes and deposited hills to create this rolling landscape of prairie, wetlands, delta kames, kettles, and the meandering Nippersink Creek, resulting in one of the most outstanding examples of knob and basin topography in northern Illinois.

Four hundred acres of state-designated nature preserve form the central core of the 3,125-acre Glacial Park. In recent years, the district has protected additional acres of wetland and prairie in the south and west of the park and more of the Nippersink corridor on the east.

Wild turkey charging. Photo by Art Morris, Birds as Art.

The prairie grass turns a burgundy wine color in fall and mixes with the yellows, golds, and reds of the surrounding oak and hickory trees. New England aster, cream gentian, and saw-toothed and prairie sunflowers further accent the scene. Banded, coral, and Edwards' hairstreak butterflies thrive in the southern half of Glacial Park, and common wood nymphs, Delaware skippers, and pearl crescent butterflies flit through much of the prairie.

The restored marshes throughout the park attract a wide array of waterfowl, including ducks, geese, shorebirds, and even whooping cranes. "In the fall, it's not unusual at sunset to see tens of thousands of migrating birds," says Collins. Wild turkeys, short-eared owls, and northern harriers live at the park year-round.

Glacial Park offers nearly seven miles of hiking trails that wind past many of the park's pronounced glacial features. Visitors can also cruise the Prairie Trail bike path around the outer edge, as well as horseback riding and snowmobile trails. Canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are popular in Nippersink Creek, with a put-in at the Keystone Road Landing at the southwest edge of the park. Tip A Canoe LLC rentals, (262) 537-3227, provides boat drop-off and pick-up.

This summer, the district completed restoration of the Lawson Creek area. From the bike path north of Harts Road, gaze over this 80-acre oak savanna, with shrubs including American hazelnut, prairie willow, and New Jersey tea, as well as bottlebrush grass and silky wild rye. Collins calls the spot "a masterpiece that's been uncovered."

On October 16 and 17, the district will hold its Trail of Historyl festival, where nearly 400 people in period costumes will set up camp in Glacial Park Valley, giving visitors a flavor for life here in the 18th and 19th centuries. Glacial Park also will host a special Weekend Restoration Retreat from November 12 to 14.

Groups wishing to do some camping of their own can call (815) 338-6223 to reserve the site beside Nippersink Creek (accessible by canoe).

Glacial Park is open from 8 a.m. until sunset. Visitors may enter the park before 8 a.m. but must park in the lot on Harts Road. For additional information, call (815) 338-6223.

— Terry Stephan

Related articles:

Glacial Park (Into the Wild, Fall 1997)

Glacial Park (Into the Wild, Winter 2001)

Born Again River: Remeandering the Nippersink

Glacial Park prairie restoration (photo)