Last week, we saw bloodroot at Severson, sharp-lobed hepatica at Etnyre, spring beauties and bluebells at Deer Run. You can see photos of those ephemerals here. This week we saw wood anemone, trout lily, dutchman’s breeches, buttercup, marsh marigold and...
Hikers, hi! Here are a few spring ephemerals you can expect to see in the forests of northern Illinois this week! Hurry, because “ephemeral” means “lasting for a short time” and these adorable wildflowers won’t be here much longer. The...
You’ve read it, heard it and probably even said it: “Nature is good for you.” Of course it is, but you can’t really know that until you get outside and experience the goodness for yourself. But once you’re out and about, a transformation...
We at 815 Outside are big believers in the pre-hike. That’s when we go out a couple days before our scheduled public hike and make sure the trails are safe. We used to pre-hike one, two — sometimes three! — weeks ahead of the hike. But now we...
Most people naturally possess a “healthy skepticism.” We at 815 Outside welcome and encourage independent thinkers! But we don’t want you to be cynical about our free hikes. They are truly for you, your friends and family, your neighbors and the...
Hikers, hello and “Happy March!” You’ve heard of March Madness. Well, 815 Outside is all about March Gladness! With the goal of including as many people as possible, we have gladness-inducing hikes this month: on three different days of...
An ice storm caused power outages, downed trees and school cancellations across northern Illinois last week. It even caused 815 Outside to cancel two hikes! We pride ourselves on being tough and adventurous but, more importantly, we pride ourselves on being safe....
Hikers, hello! It’s National Haiku Month so we’re celebrating our February hikes through poetry. You’re probably familiar with the 5-7-5 syllable format but not all haiku poems require this! They need only be short, unrhymed and evoke natural...
In northern Illinois, the woods can be so quiet that oftentimes the only sounds you hear on a hike are your footsteps crunching in the snow, your breath and the beating of your own heart. The bare branches on the trees guide your eyes to birds that usually blend into...
Are your winter blues so bad that they’re winter blahs? Are you missing the greens of spring, the sapphire skies of summer and the ambers of autumn? It’s easy to only see dull, neutral tones in the winter, especially when the skies are gray and there is...
