Into the Wild

Maramech Woods

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Kendall County, IL

At 92 acres, Maramech Woods in Kendall County is not a large preserve. But the true enticement is in its details. In the spring, the preserve’s undulating landscape — with unusual hydrology, flatwoods ecosystem, and interesting plant life — becomes easily visible.

The spring landscape kicks into gear when snowmelt from nearby 60-foot bluffs runs into the flatwoods, where there is no quick outlet. That water is held in small swales created by the uneven terrain and the clay soils. Pay attention to those undulations, advises Jason Pettit, director of the Kendall County Forest Preserve District, and note what lives there.

“It’s really neat when you walk through there in the spring,” he says. “You’ll find little rises where the ground goes up, and then the ground goes down. Where it goes down, there are swales with blue flag iris, marsh marigold, and skunk cabbage. Where the ground rises up, you’ll see a mesic woodland with wildflowers like toothwort and spring beauties.”

The flatwood forest contains swamp white oak and black ash along with an interesting understory of paw-paw, viburnums, buttonbush, and bladdernut. Amphibians include tiger salamanders, and, says Pettit, the “place gets crazy loud with chorus frogs in the spring.” Birders will find spring migrants, including warblers and vireos. Wild turkey, barred owls, and great horned owls make their home there.

Because 48 acres of Maramech — pronounced MARE-a-meck — are a dedicated nature preserve, access is limited, but what visitors can see is lovely. The trail from the parking lot leads past a shelter into the woods to an overlook that offers a view of a good-sized seep area that is home to a sea of skunk cabbage, the flatwoods, and, beyond that, the looming bluffs.

Maramech is a place for contemplation, not vigorous hiking, so take your time. With a single trail that totals less than half a mile, there’s no reason to hurry. At the overlook, pause to contemplate the unusual landscape that was home to early Native Americans. Shards of pottery have been found on site. The preserve was named after a 1730 battle between the French and the Fox Indians during which the Native Americans were virtually exterminated. The battle took place elsewhere, but the name lives on at the preserve.

Those wishing to work their legs after Maramech might consider motoring over to nearby Silver Springs State Park, a 1,350-acre preserve with an extensive trail system where natural underground springs bubble to the surface year-round. Those who pay close attention, though, might find Maramech difficult to leave.

— LeAnn Spencer