Have you ever stood in a field of grasses towering over your head? Have you felt small in a wide open sea of grass? Soon the majestic prairie will once again provide a sense of awe for residents and visitors alike. Less than an hour from Chicago, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie offers visitors a chance to experience Illinois, and much of the Midwest, how it once was: tallgrass prairie.

From Army to Prairie

Beginning in 1940, the open space of Midewin became the Joliet Arsenal, a state-of-the-art munitions and explosives manufacturing operation that played a vital role in World War II. In 1993, the U.S. Army released the land, and in 1996, transferred nearly 20,000 acres to the U.S. Forest Service. Today the land is  recovering from years of agricultural and other uses, and. thanks to numerous partners , the tall grasses of the prairie will soon wave again amidst the towering wildflowers.

Birder’s Paradise

Due to the rarity of the landscape, grassland birds, such as boblinks flock to Midewin. In addition  Henslow’s sparrows and other, wetland, shrubland and woodland birds also frequent the prairie.  Birders can spot great blue herons in the wetland areas and hawks, falcons and eagles flying overhead.  For a list of birds at Midewin, click here.

Explore the Prairie

As restoration continues the Forest Service has opened more and more acres to the public. Be sure to walk through the prairie in the spring and summer to see the dozens of wildflowers that burst in the grasses.  Visitors can wander through this unique landscape on various trails along Prairie Creek that meander amidst the tall grasses. The River Road Trailhead, provides opportunities to explore seedbeds and hike the Prairie Creek Woods trail to see the Buttonbush Pond Overlook. Ammunition bunkers once covered the prairie, and visitors can walk through one from the Iron Bridge Trailhead on the Group 63 interim trail. When snow blankets the prairie, bring along your snowshoes and crosscountry skis to glide across the open space. For a map of the trails throughout the prairie, click here.

Winter Lecture Series

Thursday nights at the prairie, Midewin plays hosts to a variety of speakers. All lectures are free of charge and held at the Midewin Supervisor’s office two miles north of Wilmington. For more information click here.

As you plan your winter and spring weekends, be sure to mark Midewin for a visit to experience Illinois’ native landscape.