Forest Preserves of Cook County announces spring schedule
As days grow longer and signs of spring's imminent arrival begin appearing, residents and visitors will find an abundance of ways to enjoy the season in the Forest Preserves of Cook County in the Spring Brochure.
Bird the Preserves, the forest preserve's new birding initiative, invites people of all skill level to explore the preserves while spotting some of the county's most interesting birds. Highlights throughout the season and year include dedicated birds of the month, bird walks, festivals and other activities.
At each of the forest preserves' six nature centers, programs teach attendees about native and migrating birds. On May 7, the centers will also be hosting a daylong "citizen science" event, The Big Sit, to see how many birds can be heard or spotted within a 17-foot circle.
Other activities include paddling events, bicycling on more than 300 miles of trails, and spending an evening under the stars while camping at one of the new campgrounds.
A complete list of spring events is in a quarterly brochure that can be downloaded at fpdcc.com/events. Among events in the guide and online are the following:
• 44th Annual Maple Syrup Festival. Activities include maple syrup history, tree tapping hikes, maple syrup making. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 20, River Trail Nature Center, 3120 Milwaukee Ave., Northbrook. Call (847) 824-8360 for information.
• Ralph Frese Memorial Paddle. Paddle your canoe or kayak down the Chicago River from Willow Road Dam to Linne Woods in Morton Grove Saturday, April 9. A shuttle bus will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Linne Woods (Dempster Street and Ferris Avenue) to Willow Road Dam. Paddlers leave from 9 to 11 a.m. at Willow Road Dam, Willow Road and North Forest Way Drive, Winnetka.
• Earth Day Habitat Restoration, Deer Grove Natural Area Volunteers work from 9 a.m. to noon, with lunch to follow on Saturday, April 16, at Camp Alphonse, Deer Grove Forest Preserve, 1393 W. Dundee Road, Palatine.
• Des Plaines Canoe and Kayak Marathon. Join the second oldest continual canoe race in the United States Sunday, May 22, at Oak Springs Road in Libertyville. The journey ends at Dam #2, 906 River Road in Mount Prospect. Free for spectators. Race starts at 8 a.m. Activities at Dam #2 start at 11 a.m. To register, visit canoemarathon.com.
• Big Bend Lake Afternoon Paddle, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 4. Beginners welcome. Bring your own canoe or use one of ours! We have a limited number of boats available. Canoe instruction provided. Paddling for ages 5 and up. Call (312) 533-5751 to reserve a spot. Big Bend Lake Boat Launch, 9301 Golf Road, Des Plaines.