Lace up those hiking boots, and pack your camera lens! Just a few minutes southeast of downtown Morris lies a 2,500-acre sea of tall grasses, lakes and walking paths known as Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area, one of the largest restored prairies in Illinois.
Fragrant wildflowers abound along the Prairie View-trail that winds through blowing tallgrass, glassy ponds and humming marshes. Stop to snap a picture or two on the Sagashka Trail, where a photo blind waits to help you get that perfect shot! Just across the pond from the historic Gragg Cabin, the visitor’s center serves as an inviting and informative place to learn more about this iconic reminder of the landscape inhabited by Native American tribes hundreds of years ago.
Cross-country skiing, hiking, hunting and fishing are just some of the reasons to visit Goose Lake Prairie, which is open sunrise to sunset daily. The welcome center is open 10-4 most weekdays, but is minimally staffed, so please feel free to call ahead to let them know you’re coming if you want to make sure they’re open. Parking is located in a paved parking lot adjacent to the welcome center.