This Hidden Oasis Between Rockford And Madison On The State Border Has Trails, River Views, And Scenic Bluffs

Finding undiscovered gems in the great outdoors is one of the best feelings in the world. Without people stomping around and elbowing you out of the way to get the best photos, it's like finding your own little slice of paradise. Just a 30-minute drive from Rockford, Illinois, and an hour south of Madison, Wisconsin, is Colored Sands Forest Preserve. With fewer than 30 reviews on Google Maps and under 150 reviews on AllTrails, you may just have this hidden oasis all to yourself when you visit.

This 306-acre forest preserve sits just south of the Wisconsin border on the Lower Sugar River Watershed, which provides flood protection and recreation opportunities. Within Colored Sands, the Sugar River cuts through old dunes deposited after the last glaciers passed through, over 450 million years ago. Over time, trees, shrubs, and other vegetation have become established in the sandy soil, but remains of the dunes can still be seen. 

Scenic eroded bluffs peek out along the riverbank, and there's even a 40-foot sand bluff, cut in half by the river, which exposes the sedimentary layers. These formations are called St. Peter's sandstone, locally known as colored sands — hence the name of the preserve.

One of the best things to do at Colored Sands is to walk the 2.5-mile loop trail that follows nearly the border of the preserve and passes by several unique points of interest. Starting in the parking lot just off Haas Road, heading south, you'll immediately pass by the Sand Bluff Bird Observatory, which has a bird banding station. Part of the allure of Colored Sands is its unique sandy soils that support a variety of plants beneficial to migratory birds. To better understand the trends of migratory and local bird populations, the station was established in 1967 and is now one of the largest public research facilities in the country, where volunteers place bands on birds to help collect data for scientists. 

It's estimated that volunteers at Sand Bluff band up to 6,000 birds every year, with around 85,000 birds across 150 species since it was established. Some of these birds include thrushes, orioles, and finches, but also raptors such as red-tailed hawks, which are caught with a hawk-trapping station in one of the preserve's meadows.

The volunteers also give presentations for visitors, a great educational opportunity for adults and kids to learn more about the way research is conducted and how the data is used. More incredible bird watching can be found just two hours north of Colored Sands at the Horicon Marsh, known as the "Everglades of the north", in Wisconsin.

As you continue along, the trail is mostly flat and made of soft sand, winding through sand prairie and forests and skirting wide green meadows. These meadows feature wildflowers in the spring, such as blue lupine and eastern shooting star flowers, and bright yellow puccoon flowers in the summer. For more wildflowers, visit the "wildflower wonderland" in Starved Rock State Park, just a 90-minute drive west of Chicago and about 1.5 hours south of Colored Sands.

As you make your way around, you'll come across two small loops in the southwest portion of the trail that give you glimpses of the Sugar River and its famous sand bluffs. As you complete the northern part of the loop, walking along Haas Road, during banding season (March to November), you may spot the nets used to capture birds for banding.

If you're looking for even more to do in the Colored Sands Forest Preserve, rent or bring your own kayak or canoe and paddle along the gentle stream of Sugar River. The canoe launch is a short walk southwest of the bird banding station. From here, you can paddle up to 7 miles to Two Rivers Forest Preserve, which can take approximately three hours. This is one of the best ways to see the tall sand bluffs in the preserve. Sugar River Adventures in Rockton offers tube and kayak rentals, with a shuttle service.