Mother Natures spectacular sea of Bluebells @ O'Hara Forest, hike 5 miles or 4
Details
Optional post hike lunch
TBD
Summary
This hike is scheduled to try for peak bloom:
04/18/25 - O'Hara Bluebells just starting to bloom
05/05/24 - O'Hara Bluebells gone!
05/13/23 - O'Hara Bluebells present but fading
05/08/22 - O'Hara Bluebells were at peak bloom
This hike will be at a slower pace no more than 2.8 mph in order to soak in the beauty all around us and take pictures.
For people who do not want to hike 5 miles, its easy to get back to the lot after 3.8 miles. But you'll be missing out on the most scenic mile if you leave.
Its a very small preserve and I've managed to get 5 miles out of it.
The terrain has some small ravines to admire. There is also a pretty stream that runs thru. This area has been deemed an Illinois Nature Preserve and dogs are allowed.
This is a very easy, mostly flat hike on a variety of surfaces. Its mostly soft wooded trail, some fine gravel trail, some grassy, and small portions concrete.
There are no steep areas except for a few that go down at about a 40 degree angle. I didn't need poles but wanted to mention that's the only part that might be a challenge for people who have only hiked on flat crushed limestone.
There were dozens of deer on this hike. We saw a racoon scurry past us, Blue Heron, White Great Egret, and the usual geese and mallards.
Meet in front of the tennis courts at 10. We'll start walking at 10:10.
This hike is cross posted with Chicagoland Trailblazers Hiking Group
https://www.meetup.com/chicagoland-trailblazers-hiking-group/events/307502496
and my guest rsvp includes members of the group.
Location
1034 W 135th St, Romeoville
or use this map pin
https://goo.gl/maps/CVACmDbujWt7Ufdy5
https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/preserves-trails/preserves/ohara-woods
A Story about my first encounter at O'Hara while hiking with my son:
As we made our way down the trail, a woman approached from the other direction gently smiling. She must have seen the look of astonishment on my face. She said to us, "Its like walking thru a fairy tale, isn't it?". Indeed it was. I asked, "did someone plant these here? She said nope, they all grew there naturally.