Outside Chicago Is Illinois' Hilly Nature Preserve With Wetland Trails, Birdwatching, And Remote Beauty

Illinois is not renowned for its elevation gain; it's one of the ten flattest states in the nation. However, Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve is home to rolling hills and hikes that feature bluffs, deep ravines, and grassy prairies. The 1,520-acre green space may only be 28 miles from the Chicago Loop, but the preserve takes the title for the most remote place in all of Cook County.

Cap Sauers is home to more than stunning wilderness-scapes and trails. The "wildest place in Cook County" is so renowned for its bird population that it has park programs dedicated entirely to birdwatching. Cap Sauers also has a rich history. European immigrants from the 1800s once inhabited the land and left remnants of civilization. Cook County is also home to the Native American groups known as the Council of Three Fires — the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi, among others — who still reside in the Chicagoland area and called Cap Sauers home for thousands of years before the advent of European settlers.

The preserve is located about a 40-minute drive southwest from central Chicago. Although the city has one of the best public transit systems in the country, there is no way to reach the nature preserve by bus or train, so driving is the only way to get there. Chicago is home to two airports — O'Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW) — that are a respective 40- and 30-minute drive from Cap Sauers. O'Hare is even considered America's most well-connected airport.

Cap Sauers boasts 20.4 miles of wetland pathways featuring four lengthy hiking trails, as well as protected areas for horseback riding, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The highly rated Sag Valley Yellow and Tan Loop follows a 4.2-mile nature trail with 269 feet of elevation gain. One AllTrails reviewer noted, "I'm in love with the Sag Valley Trail System! ... Great views, excellent trails, and the stairs are a good workout!"

The Great Lakes are among the best birdwatching destinations the U.S. has to offer, and, at only 32 miles from Lake Michigan, Cap Sauers is a fantastic birding spot. Keep an eye out for geese, ducks, loons, herons, and more. In 2016, the forest preserves also launched the #BirdThePreserves initiative. Bird enthusiasts can get involved by participating in various volunteer activities from birdhouse building to bird banding demonstrations.

An urban area like Cook County isn't often lauded for its wild, remote beauty, but Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve is the exception. The sound of cars and city life fades away into swaying trees and rustling fauna. The glacier-carved land left behind a range of hills, natural depressions that formed into meadows, and a natural esker formed by an ancient river. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources even stated that Cap Sauers is among the "last remnants of the Illinois wilderness." Make the most of your trip and spend some time exploring Chicago afterward, one of the prettiest cities in America for art lovers.