*Illinois Beach SP (photo by Chris Stodder)*

We continue our Lake Michigan Circle Tour heading straight north to the neighboring Lake County, IL.

To Chicagoans visiting what’s called the “North Shore”, the area brings to mind the affluent suburbs of Highland Park and Lake Forest, Ravinia Music Festival, and maybe Great America.

But our northern neighbor has some spectacular nature spots that make for great “mini-vacation” day trips, or can be composed into overnight or even multi-day outdoor adventures.

As with Cook County, we’ll give this area a preliminary overview at the start of our Circle Tour, and we’ll come back here at summer’s end to further explore its adventure possibilities.

Though the county-managed forest preserves are not as extensive here as in Cook County, there’s an abundance of other green spaces, including state parks and nature areas, and areas managed by Openlands Nature Preserves.

Lake County, IL: Lake, rivers, and more lakes!

Forest Preserves

Covering over 31,000 acres of land, Lake County Forest Preserves provide a multitude of recreational opportunities, including over 208 miles of multi-use trails, ponds and lakes for fishing and paddling. Many of the most scenic preserves are clustered around the Des Plaines River, and are linked along the expansive length of the Des Plaines River Trail (DRT), which also serves as a possible route into Wisconsin for riders embarking on longer journeys.

Independence Grove, Libertyville, IL
Situated around a 129-acre lake, this gorgeous preserve is a welcome stop for those cycling on the DRT. It’a also a beautiful spot for paddling. Though launching private craft is not allowed on the preserve lake, the Des Plaines River boat and canoe launch is available within the park.

Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve, Lake Forest, IL
Known for its pristine natural areas and excellent birdwatching, this preserve is also one of a handful of places in Lake County with free public access to Lake Michigan. Its star attraction is the 70-foot-high bluff with spectacular views of Lake Michigan.

Edward Ryerson Conservation Area, Riverwoods, IL
This unique preserve includes some of Illinois’ most unspoiled woodlands, and several state threatened and endangered species. Two rare ecosystems — flatwoods and a floodplain forest — can be found here. Biking is allowed only on roadways, but over 6 miles of preserve trails are open to hikers and cross-country skiers in winter.

Wright Woods and Half Day Forest Preserve are linked together by a footbridge spanning the Des Plaines River. Together they offer some of the most scenic outdoor recreation opportunities in the southern portion of the county. These preserves are an interesting illustrations of the dramatic effects on fire and water on the native landscape. As historically fires swept eastward, and the river created a natural fire break, Half Day Preserve on the western banks developed flora that thrived in the presence of periodic fires, while the east-lying Wright Woods is dominated by plants characteristic of less frequently burned areas.

*Kayaking on Grass Lake at Chain O’Lakes SP (photo by Justyna Frank)*

State Parks & Camping

While many of the county managed forest preserves are clustered around the river, the two state parks take full advantage of Lake Michigan and Illinois’ largest concentration of natural lakes.

Illinois beach SP spans 6.5 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in the northeast corner of the state. It offers a full range of recreation opportunities at one of the most unique and beautiful natural settings in America. The 4,160-acre park offers ample opportunities for swimming, boating, picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping and simply appreciating nature.
Illinois Beach is the only remaining beach ridge shoreline left in the state, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation.
Its large campground is a popular destination for bike campers from Chicago, and a rest stop for those heading out on longer journey on two wheels. With some careful planning, you may be able to reserve campsites with only a small band of vegetation separating you from the beautiful beach and the waves of Lake Michigan.
Chain O’Lakes SP is located along the county’s western border, and is shared with the adjacent McHenry county.
The park borders three natural lakes and the Fox River which serves to connect the other seven lakes that make up the Chain O’Lakes. Within the park is a 44-acre Turner Lake. In all, 6,500 acres of water and 488 miles of shoreline make this area a water-lover’s paradise, with boat and canoe rental available on site. It’s worth a paddle just to see the pelicans!
Chain O’Lakes also has several miles of biking and equestrian trails, and a number of camping areas including non-electric and walk-in sites that may be more appealing to tent campers.

Best kept secrets and natural features

Gander Mountain.
Since Illinois is the second flattest state (trailing only Florida) anything that rises some distance above sea level is noteworthy. Gander Mountain is the highest natural spot in Lake County. It’s uncrowded and a bit wild, possibly due to complete lack of parking and no officially maintained trails.
Be warned: parking along the Wilmot Road shoulder can be dangerous due to poor sight lines and fast moving traffic including trucks. However, once you get past that hurdle, the preserve offers peace and quiet, some elevation and steep climbs and descents, and a rugged, backcountry vibe. Though it’s not a large area, it’s enough to get momentarily lost.

Openlands Lakeshore Preserve.
Now managed by Lake County Forest Preserves, this natural area was acquired and restored by Openlands. It features one of the few publicly accessible ravines and blufftop ecosystems in the area.
The sweeping views from the very civilized boardwalk on top of the bluff will take your breath away, but what drew me here is the sense of discovery along the stretch of really wild beach nestled within the affluent, manicured suburbia.
Dead River.
A river that comes to a literal dead end on a Lake Michigan Beach! Part of Illinois Beach SP, Dead River runs toward the lake, but doesn’t flow into it. It it seems to simply disappear into the sand. Usually. The buildup of sand blocks the river outlet creating what can seem like a long placid pond. With enough water from rainfall, the river can violently break through the sandblock, causing hazardous conditions.

Must do

Visit Volo Bog! A unique remnant of the Ice Age, this is the only open-water quaking bog in Illlinois. What’s a quaking bog? Go see! You can see the succession of plants —which literally float on a mat of sphagnum moss, cattails and sedges— from a boardwalk (which also floats) that takes visitors through all the plant transitions from the marsh moat on the outer edge to the open-water eye of The Bog. Along the outer edges, the mat is thick enough to support floating trees.
Ride your bike to the Wisconsin border. Follow the North Branch Trail in Cook County to its northern end at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and exit east onto the new trail extension that runs along Lake Cook Road, which will pretty seamlessly deliver you to the Robert McClory Bike Path. This runs the entire length of Lake County all the way to the state border with plenty of rest stops and dining options along the way.
Strgazing! If you happen to camp at Illinois Beach SP (see above), you will be in the perfect spot for enjoying the night sky. The site offers unobstructed views away from the light pollution of dense urban areas. The campground happens to be the best area in the park for stargazing, as it is situated far away from street lights and pitch black at nighttime.

Adjacent Attractions

Just outside of Lake County lie a number of natural attractions that we will go into in more depth when we return here from our Lake Michigan Circle Tour at the end of the summer. In the meantime, here are a few to inspire you:

Glacial Park Conservation Area, adjacent to the Prairie Trail Bike Path is a vast natural area characterized by unique glacial formations known as delta kames. This is also where you can start exploring the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge, which includes a series of protected areas in McHenry County, IL and Walworth County, WI.
Just over the border in McHenry County, don’t miss the beautiful Moraine Hills SP, with a clover-leaf shaped 11-mile bike path over rolling terrain and open views of Lake Defiance.
A little further west, get lost in Marengo Ridge Conservation Area, which offers weekend camping and an incredible range of habitats for hiking.

Coming up next: Kenosha County, WI, and Lake County, IN!

Lake County, IL