Sand Ridge Nature Center offers guided nature walks, demonstrations, and special events year round. Visitors can enjoy up to 4 miles of trails.
One of six educational centers in the Forest Preserves of County, Illinois, nature centers are the gateway to understanding and appreciating the diverse landscape of ecosystems, animals, and plant life in Cook County. Each trail passes through a number of habitats, including prairies, oak savannas and woodlands on ancient beaches and sand dunes, marshes and ponds. Trail maps and program brochures
are available at the nature center. Field trips for schools and groups may be scheduled throughout the year. All groups of 15 of more must schedule their visits in advance. Sand Ridge offers free science and nature programs that address Illinois Learning Standards for specific grade levels. Programs may feature: hands-on interactive activities, real animal and plant specimens, and/or handouts for the classroom. For more information please call (224) 501-6634
Don’t you sometimes just want to escape? Explore the natural beauty of Cook County for an hour, a day or even a night. When you’re surrounded by 70,000 acres of wild and wonderful, there’s no better place to feel free. This page has been created for the Forest Preserves of Cook County and its visitors to share news, ideas and events. We welcome your engagement and feedback, but comments posted by a member of the public are the opinion of the poster only, and do not necessarily imply endorsement of or reflect the opinions or policies of the Forest Preserves. Comments containing any of the following content will not be permitted and are subject to removal and/or restriction at any time and without prior notice:
- Obscene, sexual or pornographic content and/or language
- Content that promotes discrimination by the government on the basis of race, age, religion, gender or other protected class
- Private, personal information published without consent
- True threats to any person
- Conduct that violates any federal, state, or local law or encourages illegal activity
- Spam, commercial promotions or links to malware or viruses
- Actual defamation
The Forest Preserves reserves the right to deny access to our social media sites for any individual who repeatedly violates the Forest Preserves social media policy, at any time and without prior notice. All comments posted to any Forest Preserves social site are bound by the social media platform’s terms of use or code of conduct. Users who enter private or personal information do so at their own risk, and the Forest Preserves is not responsible for any damages resulting from the public display of, or failure to remove, private or personal information. Content posted on the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s social media sites may be subject to disclosure under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and retention under the Local Records Act. This policy and terms of use may be amended from time-to-time, without further notice.
03/18/2026
Coming up at this Saturday's Women in the Wilds Expo:
Stillness in the Wilds
Saturday, March 21st * 11 am
Experience a calming mindfulness meditation and sound bath guided by a Master Naturalist. This 30-minute session uses breath, awareness, and sound to cultivate relaxation and a deeper connection to nature.
Registration will be available at the event on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited spots available for this free workshop.
03/17/2026
Happy Women's History Month!
Throughout the month we will be featuring an amazing woman who has contributed to sustainability, ecology, and making the world a better place.
Today’s woman is Julia (Judy) Bonds!
Judy Bonds, grew up in a mining family. Despite, mining being dangerous and low paying, Bonds had great pride for her family and community, Marfolk Hollow West Virginia. However, her views began to change when coal companies started “mountaintop removal mining”. “Mountaintop removal mining” is exactly what it sounds like, blasting the top of a mountain off to access the veins of coal. This is a very destructive way of mining, removing all vegetation and top soil from the mountain, often pushing into the valley (and neighborhoods) below. Coal dust, chemicals, and water mix together to form sludge that is stored in open ponds. One of these ponds was situated right over an elementary school in Bonds’ town. In 1998, Bonds joined Coal river Mountain Watch, a group of citizens working to protect Appalachia and its people from dangerous mining practices. Bonds’ was vigilant in her activist work and was able to stop illegal nighttime mining. Bonds also won the Goldman Environmental Prize. Bonds’ activism was short lived, as she dies from cancer at the age of 58.
There is more to Julia (Judy) Bonds than what is contained in this paragraph, we encourage you to research and learn more!
03/16/2026
Spring Break is around the corner! Why not enjoy time outdoors and have a great adventure close to home! The Forest Preserves of Cook County has programs almost everyday and has some special offerings lined up.
You can see our highlighted events on the flyer, but you can find all our offerings at our website https://fpdcc.com/events/
03/15/2026
Passionate about preserving the beauty of the summer bloom along our Lost Beach boardwalk? Stop by the Women in the Wilds Expo this Saturday, March 21st, 10 am - 2 pm.
There you can cheer on, learn from, and even join a fierce group of volunteers who have been working for weeks to thin invasive shrubs and other plants that crowd out our iconic swamp rose mallow (pictured here).
Don't miss this opportunity to speak with the women who shape the landscape here at Sand Ridge!
03/12/2026
Coming up this weekend:
Introduction to Photography
Saturday, March 14 * 1 pm
Bring your own camera and learn the basics of photography. Then, put your knowledge to the test in the field.
03/12/2026
Our sister nature center @ River Trail Nature Center is hosting their annual Maple Syrup Fest on Sunday March 15. Learn all about the ecology and history behind maple syrup!
**Save the Date!**
Maple Syrup Festival - Sunday, March, 15 from 11am - 3pm
Feel free to join us for a day of history, sweetness and fun that celebrates the arrival of spring with special activities including crafts, games, and tree tapping walks.
We will soon host our annual maple syrup festival.
All are welcome and entrance is free.
Call 847-824-8360 for preliminary details
03/10/2026
Happy Women's History Month!
Throughout the month we will be featuring an amazing woman who has contributed to sustainability, ecology, and making the world a better place.
Today’s woman is Debby Tewa!
Debby Tewa is a solar electrician from a Hopi reservation in Arizona. Growing up, the reservation didn’t have electricity or running water. In high school, despite the program being for boys, she enrolled in the electrician program. She was introduced to solar power through the Native Sun organization. They helped bring electricity to Hopi communities. Solar energy fit the needs to the Hopi people and was accessible to remote communities. Since Tewa was Hopi, she was tasked with educating communities about solar energy and building trust within the community. Tewa was in the solar business decades before the green energy boom of the early 2000s. Today she continues to help Native American communities connect to solar power through her own business and provides workshops for women. In 2021, she was an Indigenous Excellence awardee.
There is more to Debby Tewa that what is contained in this paragraph. We encourage you to research and learn more!
03/10/2026
Please share this opportunity for free trees for youth!
Registration is open now through March 15th. Pick-up on Sunday, April 26th at the Sand Ridge Nature Center or one of the alternate locations listed below.
Trees will be about 6–12 inches tall, with tree species announced in early April. Neighborhood Forest aims to provide native and/or fruit-bearing tree species.
IMPORTANT: When registering, indicate your pickup location preference in the "other comments/feedback" field. Failure to do so may result in a delay in you receiving your tree.
Trees can be picked up at your choice of Gethsemane Garden Center, Garfield Park Field House, OR Sand Ridge Nature Center.
03/10/2026
Restrooms and water are working at the nature center again. Thanks to all for their patience during this situation.
Send a message to learn more
03/08/2026
Visitor Spotlight:
Families often visit Sand Ridge to make use of our spaces during the cold winter months. Parents Laura and Richard use these excursions to keep their kids (and themselves) active in all seasons.
"Having nature centers so close to the city is just a gift. For us as parents, the fact that a place like this exists, it makes us so happy because our kids are always looking forward to something. They play, they learn, they walk, they connect to nature. There's something to do even if you come here every day."
03/06/2026
Happy Women's History Month!
Throughout the month we will be featuring an amazing woman who has contributed to sustainability, ecology, and making the world a better place.
Today’s Woman! Leela Hazzah
Leela Hazzah is an Egyptian conservation biologist. Hazzah works in Kenya and Tanzania working to conserve lions and reduce conflict between humans and lions. Hazzah received her bachelors degree from Denison University and her masters and doctorate from University of Wisconsin Madison. During her studies she did research work in Kenya and noticed the tension between humans and lions. She founded the non-profit organization Lion Guardians. Lion Guardians bring together scientists and Maasai people to mitigate human lion conflicts. Hazzah credits Lion Guardians’ success in the community to mixing new research with traditional cultural values. This builds trust and willingness to change.
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NOTE: Bathrooms, trails and grounds are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
One of six educational centers in the Forest Preserves of County, Illinois, nature centers are the gateway to understanding and appreciating the diverse landscape of ecosystems, animals, and plant life in Cook County.
Sand Ridge Nature Center offers guided nature walks, demonstrations, and special events year round. Visitors can enjoy up to 4 miles of trails. Each trail passes through a number of habitats, including prairies, oak savannas and woodlands on ancient beaches and sand dunes, marshes and ponds. Trail maps and program brochures are available at the nature center.
Field trips for schools and groups may be scheduled throughout the year. All groups of 15 of more must schedule their visits in advance. For more information please call (708) 868-0606
Sand Ridge offers free science and nature programs that address Illinois Learning Standards for specific grade levels. Programs may feature: hands-on interactive activities, real animal and plant specimens, and/or handouts for the classroom. For more information please call (708) 868-0606
This page has been created for the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Sand Ridge Nature Center and its patrons to share news, ideas and events. Any comments that include political ranting, off-topic attacks or abusive language will be removed.
