3+ week, 6+ day ago   (1637+ words) Stand next to a stalk of big bluestem in late August and you might find yourself looking up. Illinois once had millions of acres of this towering grassland, and today a handful of preserved and restored sites let visitors get…...

3+ week, 6+ day ago   (1685+ words) Getting there takes some planning, but the combination of working history and winter wildlife makes it a worthwhile cold-weather day trip for anyone in the region. Head southeast of Utica on a winter morning and you will eventually find the…...

3+ week, 6+ day ago   (1692+ words) A headline about a secret Illinois canyon you can only reach by guided boat sounds like the kind of hidden gem every traveler wants to find. But when you stack that claim against official park information, the details start pulling…...

4+ week, 16+ hour ago   (1702+ words) Somewhere in central Illinois, a short loop trail puts you right next to a living prairie wetland without requiring a long hike or serious gear. The Litchfield Wetland Management District, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, offers a 0.17-mile…...