Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

About Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area

Goose Lake Prairie is located on the west side of Goose Lake, Illinois, north of Chicago. The early settlers of Illinois described it as a prairie they did not know. Today, it serves as an important reminder of the prairie that once covered nearly 60 percent of our state and now houses a state park.

Today, a visit to Goose Lake Prairie is an opportunity to see what the prairie of our state looked like 150 years ago. In addition to exploring the past, this prairie also provides an important habitat for endangered and endangered bird species and their habitats. More than half of GooseLake Prairie is a protected nature area protected by law from changes in the natural environment for future generations. Tall prairie grasses, including tall grass, tall prairies and tall pines, and tall shrubs, make up more than 60 percent of this prairie.

The tallest is the prairie grass, which usually reaches a height of 8 - 12 feet, and the tallest shrubs are tall pines, which are usually 5 - 10 feet tall. If you're interested in the history of the prairie and its natural habitat, you can also see some of our state's most iconic birds, such as the Great Blue Egret, buttered popcorn owls, the Great Blue Egret and many other species.

The remaining 40 percent is forb, a broad-flowering plant that blooms on the left, commonly referred to as forb. Creamy digo, shooting stars and violets are the first to flower in late April / early May, while New England aster and goldenrod herald the end of the colourful show in early September. Autumn is the most beautiful season and it is said that the best time is on the prairie. It is also the third most popular season for wildflowers in the state, after spring and summer.

Wildlife sightings are commonplace The animals that live here include deer, elk, elk, coyotes, prairie dogs, foxes, raccoons, wild boars, wolves and coyotes.

Among the birds of prey, owls, redtails, kestrels and marsh lizards can be seen, but also turtles, snakes and frogs live here, as well as ducks, geese from Canada and Canada goose. You can also see water - winged birds like ducks and waterfowl that can be seen as far as the Mississippi and the Great Lakes. There are a number of other species, such as ringed pheasants, peregrine falcons, black bears, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, wild boars, wolves and coyote sightings.

Some bird species that were once considered extinct, such as the red-footed frog, have been found here, as have a number of other birds of prey.

The state-run lake offers fishing and next to Goose Lake Prairie is a cooling pond for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.

At the boat launch site there is a concession area that offers boat rentals, but only for this purpose boat launches are possible. Boating on the lake itself is not permitted and the moorings on the premises are covered by a concession area with boat rental.

Goose Lake Prairie is formed by glaciers and is the last of the huge ice floes that melt off the northern shore of Goose Lake, the largest lake in the state of Minnesota.

The original 240 hectares that the state bought from Goose Lake Prairie in 1969, which now amount to 2,537 hectares, are the largest remnant of the prairie left in Illinois. The area became a continuous grassland stretching from Indiana to the Rockies, once covering well over half of Illinois, earning it the nickname "prairie." Buffalo, wolves, prairies and chickens once inhabited the present-day prairie at the lake, today a variety of birds live here such as elk, elk, coyote, fox, owl, peregrine falcon, raccoon, duck, geese, turkey, squirrel, birds of prey, roe deer, wild boar, otter and other wild animals.

The Hill Assembly of the Indians lived in the present northwest of the area - Morris and other Indians, including the Potawatomi under the leadership of Chief Shabbona, existed in the countryside but hardly changed permanently. Confederate tribes inhabited this area for hunting and trade, and the settlers who used it as a livelihood changed it dramatically. They began mining coal in the 1820s, first removing clay for pottery, jugs and later flints, planting trees to build windshields and fences on their farms, draining 1,000 hectares of sea goose in an effort to gain more farmland and irrelevance, promoting coal and starting mining in 1928.

Then they took a break in the 1930s and 40s with the construction of the Great Lakes National Park and the creation of Lake Prairie State Park.

One of the best ways to experience Goose Lake Prairie is to take the hiking trails. The park has tables, barbecues, shelters, water and toilets, as well as a picnic area with picnic tables, picnic benches, a fireplace and a picnic table.

The Prairie View Trail, which leads 3.5 km through prairie and farmland, is the easiest of the walks. With 7 miles of hiking trails, including a floating bridge, you have many opportunities to admire the plants and animals that make this area unique. A low - lying, open - air park with a variety of trees, shrubs, grasses and plants is visible.

The Tall Grass nature trail is a self-guided walk that winds through the prairie, showing large blue weeds and Indian grasses that can reach up to 8 feet. Depending on the route, the distance is between 1 and 3.5 miles, and each lap offers a hard - packed, wheelchair-friendly surface.

Remember, one of the main reasons Goose Lake Prairie survived is that it is generally far too wet to plant. The reserve is located in a marshy area, not far from the lake, and the marsh here is now home to a kind of wetland. It was partly inspired by the decision to reclaim the lakes, but the farmers found that the reclaimed land, which remained very wet even after reclaiming, was only suitable for cattle grazing, so that the area could not even be used for this purpose. This shows the potential for further arable land to be reclaimed after the recovery of GooseLake.

In winter, cross-country skiing is available, and tickets can be purchased at the visitor center and at a variety of other activities such as hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing and snowboarding.

From the exit, take 55 approximately 7.5 miles west, turn north onto Jugtown Road and drive one mile to the entrance of Goose Lake Prairie State Park at the intersection of Route 55 and Route 1.