Hiking Through a Glacial Landscape at Glacial Park Conservation Area in Ringwood, Illinois

 

Spectacular weather recently enticed us to explore the many rolling trails of Glacial Park Conservation Area in Ringwood, Illinois. We quickly became enamored by the glacial sculpting of this amazing McHenry County preserve and are already anticipating return visits. Visit Glacial Park Conservation Area with us:

Near the visitor center, incredible views of lakes dazzled us.

The rolling terrain easily beckoned us to explore further. I am continually amazed by the lasting imprints of the glaciers here in northern Illinois including at our new preserve discovery. The preserve represents another beautiful treasure crafted by glaciers. Glacial Park Conservation Area comprises an astounding 3,410 acres so there is so much to discover including oak savannas, wetlands, kames, and prairie. This preserve is certainly full of many adventures!

Exhibits inside the Lost Valley Visitor Center lay the ground work of understanding
the history and nature of Glacial Park Conservation Area.

I recommend popping inside of the Lost Valley Visitor Center if it is open during your visit. Inside, you will discover a number of exhibits about the history and wildlife of the preserve. Make sure you take time to observe the bird feeders through the large windows. We delighted in observing quite a range including downy woodpeckers, juncos, chickadees, nuthatches, red-winged blackbirds, and red-bellied woodpeckers. 

Woodlands of Glacial Park Conservation Area.

Glacial Park Conservation Area contains quite a nest of rolling trails. I recommend picking up a map in the visitor center if possible. However, trails are marked and will help you navigate. We embarked on the preserve's most popular trail, the Deerpath Trail with a trailhead adjacent to the visitor center. Along the trail, we paused at markers that matched our brochure to learn about each spot.

Hiking up a kame or hill full of gravel deposited by glaciers provided
a nice little challenge at Glacial Park Conservation Area.

Throughout the landscape, you will notice kames rising above the surrounding valleys, rivers, and lakes. Kames are deposits of gravel that have been left by the receding glaciers. Many kames have been removed during gravel mining, so kames are a bit of an endangered feature. We hiked up the Camelback Glacial Kame and were rewarded with a fabulous view of Nippersink Creek.

Wetlands peek through gnarly tree branches at Glacial Park Conservation Area.

Winding through the wetlands, we heard our first spring frog chorus of the year. Delightful! Glacial Park Conservation Area features a variety of wetlands including bogs, marshes, lakes, creeks, and more. We enjoyed spotting mallards and geese on this visit. As we approach warmer months, I am sure that future visits will treat with more wildlife.

Overall, we savored a peaceful yet rigorous-in-spots hike. The nest of trails tells us that we need to soon return for another unique adventure. The diversity of landscapes and habitats as well as the opportunity to explore a series of kames offers quite an incredible nature experience in all seasons. We look forward to returning and learning more about this fabulous preserve as the seasons unfold. Glacial Park Conservation Area truly represents an amazing treasure of the McHenry County Conservation District.

Additional Activities

• Kayaking and canoeing
• Fishing
• Picnicking
• Horseback riding 
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowmobiling
• Sledding
• Camping
• Family adventure packs available in the nature center
• The preserve is also home to the historic Powers-Walker Home which gives a glimpse of life in the 1850s.