Chapter Events

This site was once home to Camp Logan, established in 1892 as an Illinois National Guard training facility and was used for training recruits in World Wars I and II. In June 2000, the site was named a historical district, and you can still see a few of the remaining barracks and officers' quarters along the trails.The original dune topography has been leveled, but much of the original prairie and savanna ecology remains intact. Instead of replanting or sodding, these areas were simply mowed. The flora you see today re-emerged from the mowed turf, and subsequent fire and weeding also helped.

We will see an oak savanna, a dry sand prairie, wetlands, and of course?Lake Michigan.?Along more than eight miles of trails we will see a wide variety of flowers, ferns and grasses. Some of the showier blooms are those of wild bergamot, Culver's root, purple prairie clover, blazing star, orange butterfly weed, flowering prickly pear cactus, lead plant, fringed puccoon, fringed gentian, prairie coreopsis, prairie dock, western sunflower, Turk's cap lily, wood lily, primrose and spiderwort. We will ?also see horsetail, sand cherry and dogwood shrubs.

There are concrete and new gravel paths which makes walking easier and accommodates groups better than the Nature Area.

Directions to the North Unit

Take Wadsworth Rd or Rt 173 to Sheridan Rd in Zion

Turn left onto Sheridan Rd. (north)

At 17th St. turn right (East) -- Pinster Bowling Alley is on the left and The Moose Club is on the right at the intersection of 17th and Sheridan Rd. 17th St. is about 2 miles from Wadsworth Rd and 1 mile from Rt 173.

Follow 17th St. over the railroad tracks in to the ISBP -- N also called Camp Logan.

Follow the park road northeast past sand pond and three "day use" parking areas to the end of the road where?there is a very large parking area. We will meet in the parking area. If you are late we will be waking North on the path that goes past the pit toilets and over a creek.

Guide: ?ISBP Volunteer Steward, Don Wilson

Families Welcome -- ?Free -- ?No Registration Required