Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own

Here are links to several resources to enhance your visits to Nachusa's prairies, woodlands, and wetlands.

Visitor Center

The Nachusa Grasslands Visitor Center is open every day from dawn to dusk. The pavilion features exhibits that tell the story of Nachusa. From there, you can hike around the Visitor Center trail, or drive to one of five trailheads and explore. Check this link for information on Self-Guided Tours.

Visitor Center Trail

The Visitor Center Trail is a half-mile mowed path that can be accessed from either the parking lot or the Visitor Center pavilion.

Visitor Center Show Garden

A decorative chain surrounds the garden between the sidewalks southeast of the Visitor Center Pavilion. About 40 plant labels identify the species in the enclosure. Flowers bloom from spring to fall, so there's an ever-changing palette to experience.

Recommended Hikes

The trails to walk along will differ from what a visitor may be accustomed to at other preserves and parks. Except for Stone Barn Savanna, there will be no signage along the trails for interpretation or to point the hiker in a particular direction. Visitors are welcome to walk along the "two–tracks" or to explore off–trail.

Scavenger Hunt

Families with children will especially enjoy this challenge to search for plants and critters at Clear Creek Knolls or our other hiking destinations. Access the web page with a mobile device (Verizon Wireless and US Cellular usually have the best reception at Nachusa), or download a printable PDF and bring it with you. You may submit your findings using the form on the web page.

Picture
Stone Barn Savanna Online Guided Tour

Use your cell phone or other mobile device for a self-guided hike along the Stone Barn Savanna trail. Each of the seven stops is marked by a numbered green sign on a post. The website provides an introduction as well as corresponding text for each of the stops. Along the 1.8-mile round trip, you will take three turns as you pass through an oak savanna under restoration, walk around magnificent sandstone rock outcrops, explore prairie plantings (restorations), and end up at a large recovering wetland, where you will retrace your steps back to the entrance at the west end of Stone Barn Road. Share your feedback via the website form if you wish.

 "Bison Babies Broadcasts" YouTube Videos

In the summer of 2020, Friends of Nachusa Grasslands created three "Bison Baby Broadcast" videos — Bison Calving, Bison Viewing, and Bison Research — to raise funds for our Scientific Research Grant program. Please note that the campaign has ended, and the photo gifts are no longer available. You can still learn about Nachusa’s herd and see an animated map of the roads around the bison units. The bison roam across 1,500 acres of rolling land in no particular pattern and at no predictable time and are often not visible from the Visitor Center or roadsides, but perhaps you will be fortunate to spot some animals during your time at Nachusa.

Thank you to all the volunteers, including Mike Adolph, Dee Hudson, Leah Kleiman, and Susan Kleiman, who helped develop our visitor resources.

UPDATED 03/2025

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8772 S. Lowden Road  (mailing address)            
2075 Lowden Road (Visitor Center)           
Franklin Grove, IL 61031

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© 2025 FRIENDS OF NACHUSA GRASSLANDS The content on this website is owned by us and our licensors. Do not copy any content (including images) without our consent.
  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission, Leadership, Objectives, and Financials
    • Friends Annual Meeting 2025
    • Endowments
    • Heritage Heroes Initiative
    • Friends Annual Reports
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Commenting Policy
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • Visitor Center
    • Pet Policy
    • Public Bison Tours
    • Bison Viewing
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Guided Hikes
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Autumn on the Prairie >
      • Yearly Festival
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Exploring Nachusa Grasslands on Your Own
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays >
      • Workday Signup
      • Workdays – November to February
      • Volunteer Workday Safety Protocols
      • Leader Workday Safety Protocols
      • Steward Workday Tips
    • Workday Email List
    • Volunteer Recognition
    • Docents
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Weed Reports
    • Native plant resources
    • Volunteer Stewards
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Restoration Publications
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Seed Collection Guides
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Resource Links
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2025
    • 2025 Science Symposium Abstracts
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2025
      • Science Grants 2021 to 2024 >
        • Science Grants 2024
        • Science Grants 2023
        • Science Grants 2022
        • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2016 to 2020 >
        • Science Grants 2020
        • Science Grants 2019
        • Science Grants 2018
        • Science Grants 2017
        • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2011 to 2015 >
        • Science Grants 2015
        • Science Grants 2014
        • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Scientific Publications
    • Anderson Science Award
    • Science Videos
    • Become a Community Scientist >
      • About Community Scientists
      • Butterfly Monitoring
      • Calling Frog Monitoring
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Nachusa Staff
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • Websites of Interest
  • Teacher Resources
    • K-2nd grades
    • 3rd-5th grades
    • 6th-8th grades
    • High School
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
    • Videos
  • Contact Us / FAQs