An Hour From Chicago Is Indiana's Scenic Botanical Garden With Pet-Friendly Trails And Unique Wildlife

Chicago, Illinois, is home to an incredible array of green spaces, from Lincoln Park's free zoo to the native plants at Millennium Park's Lurie Garden. However, only an hour from the so-called City in a Garden, you'll find 6 miles of pet-friendly trails, rose gardens, and habitats for protected bird species, including prairies, woodlands, and wetland areas, at Gabis Arboretum. 

Hidden on Purdue University Northwest's campus in Valparaiso, Gabis Arboretum is a popular destination for birding enthusiasts and nature lovers who want to spend a day outdoors with their dogs. Established in the late 1990s, this 300-acre landscape boasts a native plant garden featuring species from across northwestern Indiana, such as the eastern prickly pear cactus and the lead plant. You'll encounter two memorial rose gardens that one Tripadvisor reviewer says "are beautifully laid and smell divine."

However, it's the Railway Garden that's undeniably a crowd pleaser. This 2-acre specialty garden tells the story of the American railway system through landscaping and captivates children and adults with miniature trains. The trains run from May through October on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. However, the arboretum is open every day from 8 a.m. until sunset. During the summer, the arboretum puts on the annual Acorn Concern Series, which guests can view from blankets and chairs in the gardens. You can also find information about other upcoming events, like the guided Prairie Walk or the docent-led golf cart tour, on the garden's official website.

Although Gabis Arboretum is a great place to stretch your legs and get exercise, it offers something even more valuable. Officially opened in 2001, the arboretum describes its lands as "a living laboratory for education, research, conservation, and engagement with the natural environment." The pheasant and woodcock habitats are great examples of the garden's commitment to conservation and public engagement. Thanks to a grant from BP Whiting Refinery, Gabis recreated over 28 acres of prairie and woodland habitat for the ring-necked pheasant and the American woodcock. These birds are experiencing habitat loss in parts of Indiana due to commercial farming and deforestation. Visitors can explore the perimeter of the habitats via two 1-mile trails.

The gardens are also home to over 80 bird species, but birders on eBird have spotted over 40 distinct species. The arboretum does a great job keeping visitors updated about nesting swallows, baby killdeer, and other bird happenings on the official Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest Facebook page. Besides birds, creatures like frogs, insects, and monarch butterflies also frequent the gardens. Between the end of summer and October, monarchs stop at Gabis Arboretum on their way to Mexico. Like California's Pacific Grove, aka "Butterfly Town USA," the gardens serve as a resting place for these butterflies, where you can spot them clinging to native plants like the blue mist flower.

While it might surprise some visitors that a bird refuge and pet-friendly trails exist in the same space, Gabis Arboretum makes it work. Dogs are allowed on all the trails and on the arboretum grounds, as long as they remain on leash. The only places dogs can't visit are the Railway Garden and the Depot building. In addition, dogs aren't allowed on guided birding hikes.

You and your pet can experience hickory, oak, and hazelnut woodlands, as well as prairie and wetlands, all in one day. Most of the trails feature grass or mulch, so expect muddy paws after rain. To see the greatest habitat diversity, start with the 1.63-mile Bluebird Trail, which showcases prairie and bluebird nesting boxes. Next, join the Cardinal Trail, a 0.62-mile path through oaks and hickory trees, or stroll through wildflowers on the Owl Trail. Finally, finish your excursion with a loop around the Heron Trail. Here, you can spot little green herons and other wetland birds or admire the cypress roots extending into the water. You'll find pet waste stations throughout the arboretum, which helps make traveling with your pet a breeze.

If you plan to walk your dog here often, consider investing in a Gabis membership. The annual membership costs $50 per year for regular admission ($40 for seniors). It includes early-morning access between April and November and admission to 300 other gardens across the U.S. For more dog-friendly trails near Chicago, visit the wildflower wonderland of Starved Rock State Park.