U.S. Forest Service - Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

06/05/2026

Join us rain or shine Saturday, June 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for our 30th Anniversary Open House to celebrate National Trails Day, including a cake cutting at 11:00 a.m. at our Welcome Center with special guest Smokey Bear!

We're celebrating 30 years of restoration, recreation, research, and agriculture at Midewin NTP.

You can bike or hike between interpretive stations on our trails or drive from trailhead to trailhead to learn about all of the different aspects of Midewin NTP's history, present, and future.

STATION #1 River Road Seedbeds
Learn about how we cultivate the plants and seeds used in prairie restoration.

STATION #2 Prairie Glacial Plains Project Area
Midewin NTP staff will be joined by The Wetlands Initiative at one of our largest completed restoration areas to teach people about prairie ecosystems, Midewin NTP's natural history, and provide some plant ID tours.

STATION #3 Bison Rangers / Midewin NTP trails and recreation
Learn about the Bison Project and the future of trails and recreation at Midewin NTP with the National Forest Foundation and our bison rangers.

STATION #4 History of the land with Midewin Heritage Association
Learn about the history of the land that is now Midewin NTP while touring the Rodgers/Schumacher farmstead and Joliet Arsenal memorial statue and remnant bunkers.

STATION #5 Grant Creek Restoration Project Area
Visit and learn about our large-scale prairie restoration project currently happening at Grant Creek with Openlands and The Wetlands Initiative. Midewin NTP staff will also have fish species from Grant Creek on display.

STATION #6 Midewin NTP Supervisor’s Office
At our supervisor's office, visit the Midewin NTP Welcome Center, the Illinois Traveling Science Center, and interpretive tents from the Forest Preserve District of Will County and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Midewin NTP staff will also lead a birding tour here at 9:00 a.m.
and a horticulture tour to show people how we grow, clean, store seed used in our restoration work at 10:00 a.m.

06/04/2026

The view from our Route 53 Trail spotting scopes Thursday, June 4.

The Midewin NTP bison herd might not always be visible from our trails, but you can always learn about them at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/midewin/animals-plants/bison-project-homepage

Or see them on our live bison cam at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/midewin/animals-plants/live-bison-camera

06/04/2026

Celebrate National Trails Day by walking across the nation’s first National Tallgrass Prairie!

Join us at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie’s 30th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, June 6th from 9:00am - 1:00pm.

Midewin is a haven for hikers, with 33 miles of trails to explore. Hike, bike, or drive to stations across the prairie, and see firsthand the large-scale restoration done over three decades to transform the landscape.

Interpretive sites include:
- The Illinois Natural History Survey Traveling Science Center
- The Bison Project
- Prairie Glacial Plains Restoration Project
- Grant Creek Restoration Project
- Recreation at Midewin NTP: now and in the future
- Schumacher/Rodgers historic farmstead
- Joliet Army Ammunition Plant history
- River Road Seedbeds and prairie restoration
- Smokey Bear bounce house

No reservation required. This event is free and open to the public.

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

On a former Army ammunition plant south of Chicago, bison now roam a restored sea of grass, the wetlands filter the water, and the wildflowers return each spring.

For thirty years, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie has been slowly, patiently coming back to life.🦬

You’re invited to join us in celebrating this milestone! On Saturday, June 6, from 9am until 1pm, the U.S. Forest Service will host a 30th Anniversary “open house” across the prairie.

Here's the idea: you drive or bike between several stops across the prairie, and at every stop, you’ll learn what each Midewin partner is working on to bring this landscape back to life. The Wetlands Initiative, Openlands, and the National Forest Foundation will all have a table along the route, so come talk with us about bison, wetlands, prairies, and what the next 30 years could look like!

This event is free, family-friendly, and a rare chance to explore the prairie with the people who help care for it. Mark your calendar, tell a friend, and come celebrate how far this prairie has come.💛

📅 Saturday, June 6
🕘 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie | Wilmington, IL

✨Stay tuned for more details!✨

05/26/2026

Midewin NTP staff and volunteers spent time last week straightening and cleaning headstones at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in honor and remembrance of Memorial Day.

(Forest Service photos by Joseph Wax)

05/26/2026

Wildfire readiness begins long before the first spark. Our workforce completes over 3 million acres of prescribed burning and forest thinning each year, reducing wildfire risk and improving firefighter safety.

This proactive work helps us respond more effectively when fires start. See how we’re strengthening community protection: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/priorities/wildfire-readiness-response

(Forest Service photo by Mariah Leuschen-Lonergan)

05/25/2026

Midewin NTP offices and Welcome Center will be closed today in observance of the federal holiday, but national forests and grasslands remain open for your enjoyment.

Stay safe, pack out what you pack in and enjoy your big backyard!

05/22/2026

National forests and grasslands are prime spots for bird-watching.

Join us for guided bird watching tours every Saturday morning in June from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Registration is required by calling 815-423-6370 or send an email to [email protected]

Eastern kingbird at the Midewin NTP Prairie Glacial Plains restoration area.

(Courtesy photo by Greg DuBois)