Trek on a Trail
The air is crisp and cool. A morning fog is blanketing the valley and creek bed. A red-tailed hawk sweeps over vast stretches of open prairie as the perfect autumn day beckons.
Lace up your walking shoes and leave the motorized pace, billboards and television screens far behind. Trek under towering oaks or trod along dew-kissed prairies. Plan a simple family adventure kids can’t see while strapped in the back seat of the car.
Many enjoy the quality time of a walk with a four-legged friend or turn a family hike into an adventure, as kids become nature detectives on a quest within the vast expanse of prairie. However, there is also much to be said for a quiet, reflective walk alone.
If only for a few hours, slow down and look around. Take a seat on a well-placed bench for a breather, and take in the spectacular views.
The myriad of trails that exist within McHenry County Conservation District sites are some of the county’s best kept secrets that need to be shared.
Walking is inexpensive, requires no fee, fancy equipment or team uniform, nor a minimum number of people to participate. Trails connect us with our surrounding natural world, but trails also offer a place of retreat, time away to relax and an easy way to get some exercise.
Favorite Fall Hikes
Fall is a wonderful time of change, with the Northern hemisphere transitioning from summer to winter. As temperatures get cooler and the air gets crisper, head out to your local conservation areas to witness nature preparing itself for winter.
Prairie grasses turn beautiful colors as they bloom throughout the fall. Despite its name, little bluestem turns a golden amber, and big bluestem turns almost purple. Indian grass glows golden, with feathery yellow seeds dangling from its stalk. After a summer of bright colors, the muted colors of the fall prairie are peacefully pretty.
Deciduous trees rid themselves of chlorophyll as they prepare to go dormant for winter. Reds, oranges, yellows and purples are revealed as the green fades away. Peak fall color in the woods of McHenry County tends to come in mid-October, but there are various shades of color from September through November. Sumacs and Virginia creeper turn brilliant red early, while white oak leaves may retain a yellow hue into late fall.
Experience autumn color as you hike through stands of hickory, white and red oak, and black cherry trees along the 1.5-mile interpretive hike or a longer 2.75-mile trail at Rush Creek in Harvard. Encounter a flurry of activity in the woods as squirrels and other rodents hoard nuts and seeds in preparation for the onset of the harsh winter months. Sightings of great horned owls, red-tailed hawks and woodpeckers will liven up your senses and lift your spirits.
Marengo Ridge in Marengo offers quiet, peaceful spots along a variety of looped nature trails—a .5-mile interpretive trail that describes the natural history of the area and the 2.6-mile Kelly Hertel Nature Trail. This conservation area features an ancient hardwood forest filled with oak, hickory and ash trees that are ideal for birding. Visitors also enjoy the aromatherapy of the pine forest planted years ago.
Coral Woods in Marengo is another favorite fall colors hike. Visitors enjoy the blaze of red, gold, yellow and orange throughout the 297-acre maple forest. Visitors can choose from a 1.2-mile foot trail that is more rustic in nature, the 1.2-mile mowed grass trail that leads through open meadow and forest or the .4-mile maple sugar loop.
Glacial Park in Ringwood offers the most spectacular scenery and the most extensive trail network. Wander on the 1.1-mile Marsh Looped Trail that leads over a bog by boardwalk. Park at Keystone Road Landing and meander the .8-mile, one-way mowed trail that runs along Nippersink Creek to the bridge. Follow the 1.2-mile Coyote Loop Trail or the more challenging 2-mile Deerpath Trail that offers an option to climb the steep hill of the Camelback glacial kame to view the panoramic view of the 3,200-acre site and the Nippersink Valley. Sit and breathe in the clear air, watch the hawks soar or listen to the sound of various waterfowl announcing their migratory departure.
The diversity of habitats at Hickory Grove Highlands and Lyons Prairie and Marsh in Cary create a great refuge for wildlife and a favorite hiking spot for visitors. On the northern end, a .5-mile, one-way trail travels to the Fox River and guides a hiker along the river’s edge to connect with Silver Creek Conservation Area. To the south, a 1.2-mile looped trail runs through upland hickory forest and skirts the central wetland. Venture down the .8-mile eastbound extension that links to another 1.6-mile trail within Lyons Prairie where the backwaters of the Fox River offer a view of a variety of wetland, marsh and sedge meadow plants and wildlife.
As the season progresses, every visit you make this fall to a conservation area is guaranteed to offer a variety of different experiences and new discoveries. Take some time with your friends and family to enjoy the unique plants and animals that call our conservation areas home as you hike, bike, ride horses, camp and canoe this fall! To download maps for each of these sites, visit www.MCCDistrict.org.
