What a Bluff

1. The Bluffs

We’re in Highland Park at the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve. This 77 acre outdoor space encompasses a unique ecosystem compared to other forest preserves around the Chicago area. While most of Chicago’s topography is flat, this small area of land features 80-foot bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan and ravines that formed over 10,000 years ago during our last ice age.  Here are a few logistics tips before we get started.

– This is about a 40 minute drive from downtown Chicago.

– You can also easily access via the UP-N Metra line from Ogilvie Station in downtown Chicago. The train ride is a little bit over an hour. Get off at the Fort Sheridan stop and you’re a few blocks from the trail head.

– This is a beginner level trail. Everything is paved and there are stairs to get you from top of the bluff down to the lake.

– There’s close to 2 miles of paved trail to explore.  Here’s a link to the trail map to give you a better sense of the route.

Once you reach the trail head, you’ll find a wide path surrounded by tall grass on either side of you. There’s plenty of space to practice maximum physical distancing. We’re also far enough outside the city where we won’t run into big crowds.

As you keep walking from the main entrance, you’ll start to see Lake Michigan creep up in the background. You’ll eventually reach a fork in the path. Head to the right and the path will eventually curve to run parallel with the shore line.

The trail will continue for about a mile. As you hit this part of the trail, you’ll notice you aren’t actually right next to the shoreline. You’re actually about 80 feet above the water on top of a bluff.  At certain spots you’ll see dirt paths that diverge from paved trail. If you follow any one of those, you can get closer to the edge of the bluffs and take in some spectacular views.

2. The Ravine

After you get to the end of the trail, turn back around and we’ll head to this next section of the preserve. Walk back to where you encountered the fork in the trail and follow the other route. That will take you to a staircase that descends down the bluff and to the shoreline.

If you’re headed here anytime soon, the stairs are actually closed due to restrictions in place to keep us safe from Covid-19. The best we were able to do was take a picture on our trip here. However, you can get down to that trail from another entrance. We drove to the other side of this trail and entered from there.

Thousands of years ago, water and ice carved up the land and created these deep ravines that are still here today. This is now a short paved trail with a gradual slope that descends down to Lake Michigan.

There are works of art scattered all along the trail. About half way through you’ll reach an overpass with a massive mural along the wall.

The trail is even wider down here. During peak spring season, you can imagine how the trees growing along the edges of the ravine would create a natural canopy giving you the sense that you’re walking through a tunnel of beautiful foliage. The end of the path leads you to Lake Michigan. There are small rocky beaches that you can explore. If you have a dog that’s itching to get outside, you can continue your walk along the water to this section of beach where dogs are allowed.