Into the Wild

McClaughry Springs Woods

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Cook County, IL

Take a hike through McClaughry Springs Woods and you might feel as if you’ve discovered a bit of Wisconsin tucked away in the southwestern suburbs. Head down the trail and you’ll soon feel far away amid the densely wooded ridges and ravines of this scenic 250-acre forest preserve in Palos Park.

McClaughry Spring Woods is connected to a larger network of Palos Forest Preserves, and before the construction of the Cal-Sag Channel, the northern section of the site was part of the larger Saganashkee Wetland. The area features a 100-foot moraine slope and a stream that winds through shady ravines. It’s also a great place to spot a variety of migratory and resident bird species.

From the parking lot, follow the gravel trail to a bridge crossing the lovely meandering stream. The trail continues up a fairly steep hill and into a stretch of oak woodlands. This trail is great for hiking, and is open for bicycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. However, the hilly sections can be difficult to negotiate if the ground is icy, and could be challenging on skis. If you are on a bike or on horseback, be sure to stay on the wide multipurpose Sag Valley trail to avoid damaging plants or contributing to erosion along the creek.

All along the trail you’ll see majestic old trees, including large oaks, walnuts, and sycamores. When the trees are bare in the winter, you’ll be able to see the top of the moraine slope and other details of the topography that are concealed by foliage the rest of the year. As you explore, watch for nuthatches and brown creepers flitting up and down the trunks of trees. Volunteer steward Diana Krug says she has seen signs of great horned owls and has spotted the tail of a fox as it slipped away into the brush. She has even heard on occasion the lonesome call of coyotes.

You’ll also see restoration work underway. Volunteers have been working since 1999 to pull garlic mustard and remove invasive shrubs including honeysuckle, buckthorn, and barberry. Krug says the volunteers are looking forward to seeing native vegetation return to the areas they’ve been working to restore.

Visit the area in the spring, and you can expect to see toothwort, spring beauty, marsh marigold, May apple, Virginia bluebells, trillium, and woodland phlox. Head to the portion of the preserve north of the moraine slope, and you’ll discover a prairie habitat that features plants such as big bluestem, blazing star, and yellow coneflower.

Exploring McClaughry Springs Woods can be a great escape at any time of year, and with its striking hills and ravines, it makes for a magical winter destination. If you still feel like exploring after your hike in this preserve, there are hundreds more acres of Palos Preserves to discover nearby.

— Stephanie Folk

Related Articles:

Weekend Explorer: Palos and Sag Valley Trails, CW Winter 2005