Highwood, IL– Even the view from a North Shore mansion isn’t this spectacular. Trails of the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve bridge over and through ravines and along undeveloped bluffs of Ft. Sheridan, often opening to expansive vistas overlooking Lake Michigan. Preserving and renewing this habitat for birds and native plants is the mission for the new preserve, which opened September 10.
Guides were on hand to lead visitors through the environmental aspects of the project and the artwork beside the trails. Visitors to the preserve can also check signs for QR codes to get podcasts on the artwork or other features of the preserve.
Walk the road down Barlett Ravine to hear woodpeckers and squirrels, and perhaps spy a hawk. At the road’s end, a north path leads to a dog-friendly beach and a south road to a more environmentally delicate one where pets aren’t allowed. Two staircases made of treated lumber with railings and decks of recycled plastic let you go from ravine or beach base up to the bluff, a welcome opportunity and safe way to access the different sections.
The land for the preserve was acquired from the U.S. Navy in 2006 through a grant from the Grand Victoria Foundation. A number of other donors have also contributed to remove invasive species, build stairs, and lay paths.
While the trail is not connected at one short stretch due to ongoing negotiations with the military, it’s an easy jog around that short point to a trail through a mound of wildflowers and grasses. This natural-looking spot is a former ravine that the army used as a landfill, now covered with flora. It’s a little odd to know you’re tramping on a big pile of trash, but the lake and wildflowers just may make you forget that fact.
