Forget Yellowstone, Bison Roam Wild In Illinois' Hugely Underrated Prairie Preserve Just Over An Hour From Chicago

We're fortunate to be able to see bison roam wild these days, since they once numbered in the tens of millions but were cut down to mere hundreds. Now, there are around 10,000 bison on public lands and another 200,000 in private herds in the U.S., thanks to the initial preservation efforts of the American Bison Society at the turn of the 20th century. You can see them at the Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve, which is just over an hour west of Chicago. While much smaller in size, the more up-close views you can get of the bison here will make you want to forget Yellowstone.

This may not be the Great Plains, yet the bison at this forest preserve enjoy life among a variety of wildflowers and grasses, including nearly 200 plant species, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This preserve protects several at-risk plants among the trees and the prairie.

While Yellowstone National Park receives nearly 5 million annual visitors, you won't see such an influx of people at this wildly underrated forest preserve. The larger park has over 5,000 bison wandering about, while Burlington only had six until a recent birth brought its number up to seven. Hopes are high for an increase in visitors as Executive Director Benjamin Haberthur told Kane County Connects, "We've already had groups calling about nature programs, school field trips, and shelter reservations."

The bison that roam wild in the Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve are actually descended from what was left of the Great Plains bison. Native American tribes have important cultural connections to bison, and the American Indian Center is directly involved with caring for this herd. Rather than being confined, these bison are free to roam the preserve as they will, much like the roaming bison at Yellowstone. While the preserve currently only encompasses 35 acres, efforts are underway to expand it to 150 acres.

A fence surrounds the preserve to protect the bison and visitors alike. While they roam wild within the area, it's a safer experience than encountering them without the barrier, as few of us would know how dangerous a wild bison can be on an open prairie. Visitors enjoy being able to see them so closely, with a Google reviewer saying, "It was so neat to see the buffalo up close and personal; they were very close to the fence where we were, and we got to see a whole bunch of them."

When you visit, please keep dogs away from the bison area. Besides viewing the herd, horseback riding is available along with several short and easy hiking trails. It is open every day from sunrise to sunset. You can make a day trip in the area by also viewing roaming bison at the nearby Nachusa Grasslands, only an hour away.