Winter 2003

An ideal destination for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and hiking

Kane County, Illinois

A blanket of fresh snow transforms Campton Forest Preserve into a sparkling wonderland — a delight to explore on a clear winter day. Rolling morainal hills, fringed by forest, frame long, lovely vistas.

To explore the perimeter of the property, head east down the hill past an oak-hickory woodland on the left. Red, white, and bur oaks, along with shagbark hickories, thrive in the gravelly moraine. In March and April, red trillium, toothwort, and spring beauty will carpet the woodland floor. Further down the path is a pond, encircled by a thick stand of wetland plants including cattails and river bulrush. In spring, this area attracts great blue herons seeking an appetizer of amphibians. The trills from troupes of western chorus frogs, green frogs, and American tree toads will resonate across the water. But today, except for the creaking ice on the pond, silence rules.

In a field beyond the wetland, clumps of American plum trees flourish. These woody copses provide cover for birds and forage for gnawing mammals. A year ago the district, following its habitat restoration plan, hired a contractor to clear brush and invasive trees from 40 acres in this area.

Near the eastern boundary is a re-created prairie of roughly 50 acres. In 1986, assisted by a $2,800 grant from the Kane-DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District, the FPDKC initiated the transformation of cropland into prairie. "It's the second oldest re-created prairie in the district. Seed harvested from the prairie at Fermilab was sown in bands across the field," noted Drew Ullberg, FPDKC habitat restoration manager. More than 50 species of native grasses, forbs, and sedges grace this large field. On this day in early winter, the frigid fronds of big bluestem ("turkey foot") sound like a sigh when they brush a dry stalk of prairie dock. Clinging to the delicate, swaying stems of tall coreopsis, goldfinches become "bungee birds" as they pluck seeds from the expired flowers.

Turning north, the trail parallels Mill Creek, which bisects the east end of the preserve near LaFox Road. Soon the path turns west and winds through a stand of oaks and hickories. As the path emerges from the woodland, the shelter and parking area come into view.

At Campton Forest Preserve, horses, bicycles, and snowmobiles are welcome, but they must stay on the designated trails and avoid the preserve when the ground is soft — especially in the spring. Leashed pets also are welcome.

The fireplace at one end of the open-sided shelter allows sledders to warm themselves between downhill runs. Enclosed pit toilets are at the opposite end of the shelter. For information about volunteering for ongoing habitat restoration workdays, call Shelly Brown, FPDKC volunteer coordinator, at (847) 741-9798.

— Ann W. Davis