Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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Preserve Hours of Operation

The Nachusa Grasslands Preserve is open every day from dawn to dusk, 7 days a week. Visitors may hike anywhere except inside the fenced North and South Bison Units.
When is the preserve closed?
During Controlled Burns. In late fall and early spring, portions of the preserve will be closed for controlled burns. 
Picture
During Hunting Season. Please note that the woodlands are closed during shotgun hunting season for deer. Shotgun hunting season runs the Friday through Sunday before Thanksgiving and the first full Thursday through Sunday in December.

Where to Park and Enter

Picture
Nachusas Grasslands Visitor Center
2075 Lowden Road, Franklin Grove IL
​Open dawn to dusk 7 days a week
NO DOGS or OTHER PETS ALLOWED

  • When you arrive at the Visitor Center, park in the new lot and climb the low hill to the pavilion featuring exhibits that tell the story of Nachusa.
  • From there, you can hike around the Center, or drive to one of five trailheads and explore.

Additional parking lots can be found in the following locations:
  • ​Meiner's Wetland — Located on Naylor Road, 2.4 miles southwest of the visitor center.
  • Clear Creek Knolls — 1.4 miles north of the visitor center, on Lowden Road.
  • Big Jump — 2.6 miles north of the visitor center, on Lowden Road.

Pull–off parking:
  • Stone Barn Savanna — At the dead–end of Stone Barn Road, 2 miles northwest of the visitor center.
  • Carpenter Prairie — On Carthage Road, 2.4 miles northeast of the visitor center.

Park in designated lots if present, or pull completely off the roads. Please do not block the gates. Enter the trails through the designated fence openings. No climbing over any fences or entering the bison units.

UPDATED 09/2020

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Map & Directions

2075 Lowden Road             |           Franklin Grove, IL 61031              |             Contact Us


PRIVACY POLICY
© 2021 FRIENDS OF NACHUSA GRASSLANDS
  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Reports
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • 2020 Autumn on the Prairie – On Your Own
    • Visitor Center
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Bison Viewing
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie Festival 2020 Cancelled
    • Public Tours 2020 Cancelled
    • Pet Policy
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays
    • Workdays – November to February
    • Workday Email List
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2021 RSVP
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Calling Frog Monitoring
    • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
      • Spring Photos
      • Summer Photos
      • Autumn Photos
      • Winter Photos
      • Visitor Photos
  • Contact Us / FAQs