Photogenic wilderness near Chicago

[Ron Marshall]

I am searching for a national, state or county park or other wilderness site, within 100 miles of Chicago. The pertinent websites don't have much info, and from the site maps, the county parks seem to be a bit more manicured than I would like.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[Peter Collins]

I have only walked Ogden Dunes NP in Indiana and Warren Dunes SP just south of Bridgman, Michigan. I think both of them offer photographic opportunities. They should meet your distance criterion.

[Wayne]

There is certainly nothing resembling true wilderness within 100, 200, or even 300 miles of Chicago. What exactly are you looking for? There are many forest preserves along the DesPlaines River in the burbs, if you hike off trail you can find some less disturbed sites. Sometimes. I really used to like Volo Bog, a neat little bog with boardwalk near the town of the same name. But I left that rat race of a state 20+ years ago, many of the places I used to go as a kid have been improved out of existence. Once you get to Volo keep driving about 8 hours and you may find what you are looking for.

[Neal Wydra]

Dear Ron,

Some of the DuPage county forest preserves are much less manicured than the ones in Cook county. There are areas of the Timber Ridge forset preserve that, if you're willing to walk in a bit off the Prarie Path, look as if you're in the middle of nowhere. However, the sights aren't particularly grand.

Check out http://www.canalcor.org/ for something a bit more interesting.

[michael Allen]

Hi Ron,
Go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources web page, than subscribe or log on to the Midwest Large Format Asylum, this is a LF group that has many members and good info in are area.
If all else fails I frequent Kankakee River State Park, Starve Rock SP, Pallasades SP along the Mississippi.....I might be fixated on rivers in this period of my Photographic career so exploreing for your self is really the best way, just go or is it just do it?
Mike

[chris_4622]

Starved Rock is about an hour and a half drive from Chicago.

[Saulius]

I'd agree with the above recommendations. However if you do go to Starved Rock be sure to go to Matthiessen State Park nearby. Although it is small it offers some wonderful photographic opportunities.

[Chuck_1686]

I think that most of the parks lend themselves to smaller intimate landscapes. Pretty wild places a few feet off trail. Ticks and all. I like the Lake County forest preserves because they tend to be open earlier. Ryerson is nice. Deer Grove forest preserve has a few hills. Chain O'Lakes and Moraine Hills State parks. Illinois Beach State park. Look in the bookstore for some Hiking and Biking guide books for the various counties. Of couse Starved Rock/Matthiessen is great. Chicago Wilderness magazine web site is Chicagowildernessmag.org. I find most places pretty empty early in the morning. But most have manicured trails and hard to get away from the presence of what's just outside the park. The experience may be different from a true wilderness but from the resulting pictures you can't tell that the camera was setup along a nice trail. Oh watch for trash in your pictures.

[Leonard Evens]

Thiey are not wilderness areas, but you might consider the Morton Arboretum, and the Chicago Botanic Garden. The arboretum is actually relatively "wild", but of course the Botanic Garden is not. At this time of year, both should have lots of color from flowering trees.

[Matt Wensing]

Hi Ron,

I live in northwest Chicago and subscribe to the Midwest Large Format Asylum (which someone else recommended). I have been to local preserves on a couple occasions and have been pleasantly surprised with what I've found. Of course, the land itself is flat, but the plant life and even wildlife (came upon a family of deer) is not horrid. I've taken a few intimate landscapes and can say that they were worth the effort.

"Songbird Slough" in DuPage County is next on my list. Right where I-355 meets I-290.