The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) is a tallgrass prairie reserve and similarly preserved as United States National Grassland operated by the United States Forest Service. The first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the Chicago Wilderness region, it is located on the site of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant between the towns of Elwood, Manhattan and Wilmington in northeastern Illinois. Since 2015, it has hosted a conservation herd of American bison to study their interaction with prairie restoration and conservation.To visit Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie on your trip to Wilmington, use our Wilmington trip maker site.
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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie reviews
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This was our first outing south of our location to go birding and to generally enjoy the outdoors. We had read that migrating monarch butterflies were passing through Midewin we hoped to spot...
This was our first outing south of our location to go birding and to generally enjoy the outdoors. We had read that migrating monarch butterflies were passing through Midewin we hoped to spot... more »
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I’ve visited here three times but never seen any bison, so don’t come exclusively for that reason. Some times of year, nice wildflowers and good birdwatching. Things to keep in mind: the good—it’s.... more
I’ve visited here three times but never seen any bison, so don’t come exclusively for that reason. Some times of year, nice wildflowers and good birdwatching. Things to keep in mind: the good—it’s.... more »
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Awesome place to check out if you're in the area. So nice to walk through native restored prairies. Lots of beautiful plants to see. Can also now rent bikes to check out the trails. Also make sure to check out the old ammunition storage bunkers. Most are closed but some are open to explore. If you're lucky you may also get to see some bison! Great place to catch a sunset on a summer evening.
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The natural Tallgrass Prairie is absolutely beautiful. The trails are lengthy as not for the faint of heart. There are a couple of shaded clubhouses for refuge and there could stand to be a few more. The bunkers, lack of shade, and few markers for direction, will make you feel like explorer. Bring more water than you ever thought possible to carry, you will need it.
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