GeGet Ot Ouut Ot Offtteen tn to o CCaappttuurre te thhe Se Siiggnns os of Sf Spprriingng ——WWiillddfflloowewerr Vi Vieewwiinngg a att i ittss f fiinneestst Above: Jack-in-the-pulpit, purple trillium, wild geranium, hepatica, skunk cabbage; below bloodroot, spring beauty, mayapple Changing weather and longer daylight hours bring new sightings April brings carpets of wild昀氀owers to our woodlands and swelling every week in Conservation Areas throughout the county. buds on the trees. These buds in turn attract dozens of migrating McHenry’s earliest-blooming spring wild昀氀owers will soon begin warblers of all di昀昀erent colors and patterns to add delight to your to decorate the woodlands, prairies and marshes, signaling the spring walks. Then the rising temperatures of May bring even start of the wild昀氀ower-viewing season. From trilliums to bloodroot, more wild昀氀owers, more migrants and more animals preparing colorful blooms are always a welcome sight after a long, gray winter. their nests in a 昀氀urry of activity. Some spring wild昀氀owers only bloom for a couple weeks and migrant Venture out often, take a hike wildlife may stop for only a day. In order to see it all, you need to get and see if you can spot the out often. Here are just a few highlights of the season: changing signs of spring. Try In late February and early March, skunk cabbage appears the trails at Coral Woods and sometimes on still snowy ground. Spring beauties, toothwort, Marengo Ridge in Marengo, hepaticas and trout lily shortly follow suit, poking up from the still and Pleasant Valley in cold ground. These 昀氀eeting woodland ephemerals rush through Woodstock to enjoy the best their life cycles in early spring capable of 昀氀owering, fruiting displays of spring wild昀氀owers. and seeding before the tree leaves are out and they become Also check out the woodland shadowed in darkness. trails at High Point in Alden and Du昀椀eld Pond South Entrance in Woodstock, as well as Boger Bog in Bull Valley—all open to walk-in tra昀케c and parking lots open for the season in late March. Check MCCDistrict.org for updates. Join McHenry County Conservation Foundation Hike with Mike on a Prairie Trail Clean-up All Ages Welcome Hike the trails through woodlands, in the prairies and over the Once a month, Conservation Foundation staff and volunteers kames of McHenry County Conservation Areas with special guest meet for a morning stroll and pick up any debris along a one- McHenry County Board Chairman Mike Buehler. Lace up your mile stretch of the trail. Get some fresh air, help beautify the sneakers, curate conversations in conservation and enjoy all the Prairie Trail and meet some new people in the process! Dress for health bene昀椀ts of the great outdoors. Hikes are typically two miles the weather. Bring gloves and hand sanitizer. Long trash pickers in length. provided. Visit mchenryconservation.org/prairietrail • Saturday, March 16 - 10-11 a.m. or email [email protected] to sign-up. in conjunction with the Festival of the Sugar Maples at Coral Woods, Marengo Saturdays 9 – 11 a.m. • Saturday, April 20 - 12:15-1:30 p.m. in conjunction with Earth Day, Prairieview April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13 Education Center, 2112 Behan Rd., Crystal Lake Meet a Mitchard Way Parking Lot, Algonquin • Sunday, May 19 - 10-11 a.m. 12 Landscapes | Spring 2024 Kishwaukee Headwaters, Woodstock Code: 8976