Thousands of years ago, the glaciers that once covered Lake Michigan melted. The draining water scoured the land down to the bedrock, forming the Des Plaines River Valley. Today, this area of exposed bedrock at the 280-acre Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve is one of the best examples of dolomite prairie in Illinois.

Lockport Prairie's unique habitat is formed by water that is cold, low in oxygen, and high in calcium, percolating through rocky bluffs and seeping out through the bottom. The preserve is notable for its high number of federal- and state-threatened and endangered species. Among the rare plants in the preserve is the lakeside daisy, which is found in only three other locations in the United States.

Because of these rare qualities, Lockport Prairie was dedicated as a State Nature Preserve in 1983, giving it the highest degree of protection. District staff continually manage the site, ensuring that protected species continue to flourish.

Look for cool, clean rivulets unique to this type of habitat that flow through the prairie as you hike the 0.4-mile trail. Because of the sensitive natural resources, dogs are not allowed in the preserve.

Photograph Courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock