Come join the club and shoot the northern harriers, short-eared owls, bison and the fantastic landscape. RSVP PLEASE! ALSO THE LOCATION YOU WANT TO MEET.
The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is the largest island in the archipelago of protected areas that collectively comprise the Chicago Wilderness. It includes full array of species and natural processes typical of tallgrass prairies in the region, including the reintroduction of bison.
Turning back the clock from a landscape dominated by rusting munitions factories and abandoned munitions bunkers into a 20,283 acre pristine tallgrass prairie makes the Midewin a compelling vision for landscape scale restoration.
There will be plenty to photograph for those of varying interests. Target species will be bison, northern harriers, and short eared owls for the wildlife and birders. Landscape and macro photography opportunities should be abundant. There is even an ammunition bunker to explore.
We are planning to meet briefly at the Visitors center to start the day, then go to the Iron Bridge trailhead close by to start our day. Be prepared for anything relating to weather and trail conditions, including snow. Bring a picnic lunch, but if we get cold and want to take a break, there are some restaurants and fast food places in Wilmington, close to our hiking during the day. Porta potties should be available at trailheads, modern restrooms will require a trip into Wilmington.
Please study the website links below. Some of the links provide extensive trail information. While there’s an itinerary, we will be open to suggestions from members on the itinerary of the day. We don't expect to cover it all, there are trails that are short, some are many miles long. Return trips may be in our future!
6:00am Leave Circle K at Cummingham and Kenyon in Urbana
7:14am Sunrise
7:35am Stop at the Mobil in Wilmington. Snacks and potty stop
7:45am Arrive at the visitors center. If setting up for sunrise photos may want to go straight to Iron Bridge trailhead parking lot. Will concentrate on east of IL-53 trails in the morning.
11:30am Break for picnic or Wilmington for lunch
12:30pm Explore west side trails
4:41pm Sunset
Midewin Area Seasonal, Safety, and extensive trail information