Cool spot that I didn't realize was in the area. Looking for a good meeting spot to meet friends for a walk, found Sagawau. On the day of my visit, we saw this black netting/screen. Curious, we stopped to ask staff. It turns out on Sundays they do bird banding. This was very interesting how they catch birds, take data, and release back into the wild. I recommend! The nature center was well kept and had clean bathrooms. They close the area at 4 pm daily. Check it out for a nice walking and educational opportunity. read more

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Sagawau is waaaaaay out in Lemont, so pretty far from me, and it's also bit confusing to find when you get there. But I really enjoyed it so I'd say it's worth it, and now I'll know where I'm going in future! Word to the wise: There's the large parking lot, and what looks like a driveway is not. Park in the lot and use the wide paved path to get to the nature center. The purpose of the first preserve system was to both preserve and conserve, but also to provide natural areas in which people could recreate. They also have a nature center here with exhibits, as well as a variety of programming. I came for a program. A land acknowledgement was provided to connect the land to its history, and the people who once called this land home. I came for a hummingbird program, which took place in the hummingbird garden. The garden had quite a few bees and some wasps, but those insects are actually invasive in this area so you may see traps out for them so they don't take over the hummingbird garden. There are hummingbird feeders around to bring the hummers out. But nectar isn't their only source of food; they'll eat insects and invertebrates. Most importantly, they need pesticide-free habitats to survive. It was interesting to learn that hummingbirds live only in North, Central, and South America. When colonizers came into contact with hummingbirds, they thought they had no feet and that is where their scientific name is derived. Hummingbirds are surprisingly loud! The ruby-throated hummingbird is only ruby throated for the males. Juveniles and females have a white throat. But the color only comes out with the light, as it's iridescent, so the males may look black. Ruby throated is the only native one in Illinois. The juveniles are about the weight of a penny. In migratory season, they try to double their weight in order to sustain their migratory most fly over the Gulf of Mexico, which is a single flight of about 600 miles. They can do that flight in 16-24 hours. Hummingbirds fly with a figure eight pattern, which allows them to be one of the few birds that can fly backwards. It also allows them to hover! Migration is hard, so why do they do it? At least in part, it's because there's less competition. Apparently day length is a trigger to let birds know when to begin migrating, and the plants and flower on which they rely for food usually coincides to their migratory season. The nesting behavior of hummingbirds draws a direct line between environmental stewardship and habitat protection. They line the nest's outside with lichen and plant scale, and line them inside with soft things like dandelion fronds. Air pollution won't affect the hummingbird directly, but it will affect lichen and thus the integrity of their nest and subsequently their success in breeding. They will use spider webbing to bind their nest, which makes spider conservation important too. How fascinating how these things all connect! Whilst visiting Sagawau, I learned that this preserve is a licensed bird banding station--not just for hummingbirds. Banding allows us to gather much of the information that we have about birds in general. The information gleaned from banded birds can tell us about their migratory patterns, lifespan, and so on. I believe they have some events during the year where you can observe this process. In addition to their great programs, they have a nature center with exhibits related to the natural history of Sagawau and the region. One of the things that makes Sagawau so unique is it is a dolomite prairie, of which only about 500 acres exist in the world--over 100 of those acres being here. There are several trails to walk, and they have maps showing these to help guide your way. And this site turns into a cross-country ski location in the winter! In that season, walking is not permitted on the trails because they're used for skiers. They have lessons and equipment rental, but you can also bring your own gear--you just need to call first to make sure it's open for skiing, dependent upon the snowfall. I saw more open acknowledgment of snakes here than at some of the other preserves, which may make me nervous to visit very soon--snakes in just about any capacity (cartoon, real, image, etc.) creep me out more than anything. But, Negin is the employee that led the hummingbird chat, and she was really great. Welcoming, inclusive, knowledgeable, and friendly. I'd love to attend more of her programs. read more

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Great place to go cross country skiing! We went on an EPIC ski day a few weeks ago and had a blast. You can rent skis at the Education Center or bring your own, you just have to make sure to grab a free trail pass before heading out. This was my husband's first-time cross country skiing so we stayed to the easier paths. They were still a lot of fun and had some good hills to practice on. They have another trail system for a more skilled skier but we didn't venture over there this time around. Next time there's a good blanket of snow on the ground, you know where we'll be! read more

My boyfriend and i stop here almost weekly to watch the birds at the bird feeders....i know that sounds lame but we love it. It is so peaceful here, and we usually have it to ourselves! The person that does the canyon tours is a really nice and knowledgeable guy! You can tell he loves being there. The trails are really easy, and the canyon it worth seeing! Its a great little place to relax, and getaway from chicago craziness. read more

We had a great experience Nordic skiing here for the first time. We rented skis for two adults and an 8 year old, which was an easy process and just $40 for a family. Free trail pass was included. Even on an incredibly busy day, there were plenty of rentals and friendly staff who we're kind, patient, and quick in serving customers. The lodge is nice, providing a small nature center, fantastic fire place and lounge, and plenty of lockers. The biggest issue was parking which was overflowing and difficult. read more

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center - Lodge with fireplace, gear rentals, storage, seating, snack machines and a small nature center. - Parks Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

Went for my very first time cross-country skiing, and camp sagawa was the perfect place to try it! To start, rentals plus a 90 minute lesson was only $20. Mike, the ski instructor was incredibly knowledgable, and taught things in a very clear manner. I also liked that he looked at everyone's skiing individually and made sure to give small corrections to improve our form. After the lesson, I did a few loops around the "easier" course, and then even tackled the "more difficult" course. I can't get over how affordable the whole day was--just $20! The lodge is a very nice area with tables for eating, and a fireplace. Tip would be to remember a quarter, so you can use a locker (they are the kind that require a deposit). I had a complete blast out at the camp, now I'm just hoping for another blizzard so that I can go again and practice some more! read more

Neat 1 hour tour of cook county's only canyon. Tour guide told us all about how canyon was formed and about some of the rare plant life. Wear shoes for walking in creek and be prepared to climb over a fallen log and some uneven terrain. One older woman stayed behind at one point. I had a baby in a chest carrier and I was able to navigate just fine. It is a bit slippery in spots. It is only about a quarter mile walk through the canyon itself and there are about 30 stairs at either end. read more

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center - Tour guide - Parks Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

Always love to explore this area...but never knew about this spot! So very glad we went!! Home to the county's only Caynon...which was an ancient coral reef. Access to the canyon is available by (Free!) tour only! And is so very worth the time! Our guide was very informative...the area was absolutely gorgeous! Definitely a must see if you're looking for something to do in the area!! read more

Really cool tour here of the only canyon in Cook County. The guide was very nice and knowledgeable about the canyon. read more

Sagawau Environmental Learning Center - Parks Near Me - Lemont, Illinois

This is my favorite place to go cross-country skiing in the Chicago area. It's relatively easy to reach from the north side via LSD and I-55 and takes me about 50 minutes from Edgewater. You can rent skis at very reasonable rates ($15/person, $40/family). The trails are relatively short (4k) but you can go around a few times until you get enough exercise. I like the trails here because they are a little more technical than at Waterfall Glen (all-or-nothing 15k loop). A few years ago, they built a comfortable nordic center that includes a warming lodge with a fireplace, lockers, etc. More details are available here: http://fpdcc.com/nature-centers/sagawau-environmental-learning-center/sagawau-nordic-ski-program read more

Had an amazing time exploring this place. There are trails which you can explore on your own inside the nature preserve. The canyon is only accessible by a tour guide which was a lot of fun. She was very knowledgeable and very nice. My group consisted of twelve people of various ages, three which turned back due to difficulty, and one guy slipped/fell and cut his hand. The rocks are very slippery and the water was high due to a lot of rain the night before. I recommend waterproof boots and a walking stick. Beautiful canyon. Feels like you are transported back in time. Totally worth it. read more

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Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! If you love nature, learning about it, and hiking it, then this is the place for you. Sag is home to the only canyon in Cook County as I found out on the Canyon Hike Tour. It's sometimes hard to imagine that Illinois looked so much different that it does today. This place has activities every day of the week and a helpful/knowledgeable staff that will help you discover the wonders found in your backyard. I won't name all the things you can do there because I don't really think I know half of the programs offered! I do know they have all sorts of hikes, from the Canyon hike, to the Owl hike. They have a candle lantern hikes, snake hikes, and even skiing! You can even volunteer to help with the ongoing restoration project that removes everything that isn't native to the area. I've volunteered a couple of times but there is so much ground to cover...they need more volunteers like you! Just a great overall place and it's perfect to take your family out to learn a thing or two and get a good hike in while you're at it. Check it out! -Papa Bear read more

found out about this park and then went for a day of cross country skiing! we were able to rent cross country skis for $12 a person (all day rate 9am - 4pm) or for a family rate of $30. included is boots, skis and poles and you can get a free locker for the day. they either ask for a drivers license to hold, or $100 deposit. they hook you up with a pair of classic skis nice and quick and send you on your way (no skating available for rent). the trails at this location are pretty minimal - you have a choice between the "easier" which is a 4km loop consisting of mostly flat, with few turns here and there. the trail meanders through some lightly wooded area and a small section of prairie. the other loop is "moderate difficult" and is a 2.5km loop that starts off with a tiny hill to climb and progresses through many windy turns and a few downhill slopes. all trails are groomed daily. overall it seems that this is a great place for beginners and intermediate level cross country skiers -- also a great place for family and younger folks. skiers looking for wilderness, more challenging terrain or longer distance trails should look elsewhere. once you get tired you can cozy up next to the fire in the lodge and snack on some free granola bars.. but there is nothing else for purchase and no place to heat up food. just remember to call ahead as the trails are only open "when conditions are good" read more

Not kid friendly, disappointed with nature center when compared to little red school house which was not far from there.

I've done 3 things here: all were great experiences! My favorite was a Wed afternoon bird banding observation, closely followed by the beautiful and surprising canyon, and lastly the annual Hummingbird Festival in August. It's a great place to connect with nature. Check it out - check the Forest preserves website for dates. read more