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Nature Preserves

59 attractions

Things to Do

Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

Big Thicket

Silsbee, Texas

Silsbee is located in the Big Thicket National Preserve.

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Go a little further.

The next turn is often where things start to get interesting.

Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve

McCook Lake, South Dakota

272 Westshore Drive McCook Lake, SD 57049-4021

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Make time for quiet places.

Not every destination needs noise to be meaningful.

Aha Khav Tribal Preserve

Parker, Arizona

The "Ahakhav Tribal Preserve is a serene wetlands and backwater area of the River. The…

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Go where you feel alive.

Pay attention to the places that pull you in without explanation.

Audubon Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary

Guilford, Connecticut

200 acres of tidal wetlands and primary native salt grasses. One-mile trail, map provided.

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Take less, experience more.

What you carry matters less than what you notice.

Aurora West Forest Preserve

Aurora, Illinois

40+ acres of mature woodland with large oak trees, assortment of native shrubs and a…

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Big Basin Prairie Preserve

Ashland, Kansas

Big Basin is a large circular depression. It is about one mile in diameter and…

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Big Basin Prairie Preserve

Minneola, Kansas

The Kansas Historical Marker stands within a geological feature known as the Big Basin, which…

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Take the long way.

The best parts of the trip are usually the ones you didn't plan.

Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve

East Liberty, Ohio

The 900-acre Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve encompasses a mixture of wetlands and streamside forests.…

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Follow what feels interesting.

Curiosity is usually a better guide than a strict plan.

Big Thicket National Preserve

Kountze, Texas

Some 97,000 acres in twelve units comprise this preserve where the southwestern desert meets the…

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Take less, experience more.

What you carry matters less than what you notice.

Black Hawk State Historic Site

Rock Island, Illinois

Black Hawk State Historic Site includes a unique 100-acre "designated nature preserve" consisting of an…

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Black Mesa Nature Preserve

Boise City, Oklahoma

The 1,600 acre preserve protects about 60% of the mesa top in Oklahoma in addition…

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The road is the experience.

Getting there is often the point, not just the outcome.

Brown's Lake Bog Nature Preserve

Shreve, Ohio

The 100-acre Brown's Lake Bog feels primordial, with its fern-carpeted lowland forest and surrounding oak-studded…

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Simple trips are often the best.

You don't need much for a place to leave an impression.

Busse Woods Forest Preserve

Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Busse Woods Forest Preserve is 6,600 acres of the great outdoors offering fishing, hiking and…

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A place to slow down.

Not every stop needs to be busy to be worth your time.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Manteo, North Carolina

Preserves and protects 75 miles along North Carolina's Outer Banks. National park includes Cape Hatteras…

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Pause when it feels right.

Some stops aren't on the map, but they're worth taking.

Carl and Evelyn Wilson Nature Preserve

Traer, Iowa

Two-acre reconstructed prairie, with 75 flower species, grasses, native woodland and butterfly garden.

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Stay curious.

A small detour can turn into something worth remembering.

Cedar Bog Nature Preserve

Urbana, Ohio

A bit of Ohio's ancient history remains intact at Cedar Bog, where visitors can view…

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Stop when something catches your eye.

Those moments tend to matter more than the planned ones.

Culberson (Dean A.) State Nature Preserve

Wilmington, Ohio

The preserve is 238 acres. Protected example of "white swamp forest." The forest grows on…

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Stay curious.

A small detour can turn into something worth remembering.

Donna Wet Lands

Donna, Texas

City of Donna started this project in 1999 in an effort to promote the area's…

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A place to slow down.

Not every stop needs to be busy to be worth your time.

Edge of Appalachia Nature Preserve

West Union, Ohio

Just 75 miles east of Cincinnati lies the 16,000-acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve, considered one…

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Take the detour.

The extra miles are often where the story begins.

Emily Oaks Nature Center

Skokie, Illinois

Emily Oaks Nature Center is a 13-acre nature preserve located in the heart of Skokie.…

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Simple trips are often the best.

You don't need much for a place to leave an impression.

F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm

Akron, Ohio

F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm is a 104-acre natural area with 2.3 miles of hiking trails,…

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Take the long way.

The best parts of the trip are usually the ones you didn't plan.

Forest Glen County Preserve

Westville, Illinois

At Forest Glen Preserve visitors can stroll through the #3 ranked arboretum in the state,…

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Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

Frontera Audubon

Weslaco, Texas

A 12-acre nature preserve featuring mature native woodlands, trails, wetlands and butterfly gardens. Target birds…

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Go where you feel alive.

Pay attention to the places that pull you in without explanation.

Garden Canyon

Sierra Vista, Arizona

Garden Canyon lies in the Huachuca Mountains, in Fort Huachuca. The canyon is well maintained…

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Stay curious.

A small detour can turn into something worth remembering.

Great Egret Marsh Nature Preserve

Lakeside, Ohio

Located in the heart of the East, Middle, and West Harbors system of Lakeside-Marblehead, the…

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Not every place needs a reason.

Sometimes it's enough just to be there.

Harry "Babe" Woodyard State Natural Area

Oakwood, Illinois

The Woodyard area, named after late state legislator, Harry "Babe" Woodyard, is the county's newest…

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Simple trips are often the best.

You don't need much for a place to leave an impression.

Hayden Prairie

Chester, Iowa

Natural prairie offers 240 acres of wildflowers, birds and wildlife.

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A place to slow down.

Not every stop needs to be busy to be worth your time.

Herrick Fen Nature Preserve

Streetsboro, Ohio

The 140-acre Herrick Fen Preserve was formed during the last ice age, as glaciers retreated…

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Make time for quiet places.

Not every destination needs noise to be meaningful.

Humiston Woods Nature Preserve

Pontiac, Illinois

400 acres, woods, hiking, pond, Vermilion River and 15 acres of restored prairie.

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Take the long way.

The best parts of the trip are usually the ones you didn't plan.

Kitty Todd Nature Preserve

Swanton, Ohio

The 1,000-acre Kitty Todd Nature Preserve was established in 1972 to protect one of the…

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Konza Prairie

Manhattan, Kansas

In the heart of the Flint Hills, the 8,616-acre Konza Prairie is a rare opportunity…

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Somewhere between here and nowhere.

The spaces in between are often the most memorable.

Lake Katherine Nature Preserve

Palos Heights, Illinois

Lake Katherine consists of 158 acres, including the Calumet-Sag Canal, 3.5 miles of hiking trails,…

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Find your way.

There's no single right route, just the one that fits you.

Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama

Huntsville, Alabama

Monte Sano & Wade Mountain Preserves featuring 20 mi. of public trails; spring/fall hike series,…

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Worth the stop.

Some places don't need much time, just the right moment.

Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve

Kenton, Ohio

Lawrence Woods is one of Ohio's newest preserves. The site containing 1,059 acres was purchased…

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Take less, experience more.

What you carry matters less than what you notice.

Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center

Willow Springs, Illinois

Forest preserve nature center designed to educate the public about the importance of wildlife and…

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Marais des Cygnes NWR Wild Food Harvest

Picking of berries, mushrooms, and nuts is another popular outdoor activity on the Marais des…

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Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve & Marina

Mentor, Ohio

The 450-acre Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve is on Ohio's north coast and features 1-1/2 miles…

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Not every place needs a reason.

Sometimes it's enough just to be there.

Minamac Wildflower Bog

Silverhill, Alabama

From early April thru September, more than 300 varieties of native Southern wildflowers bloom in…

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Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

Morgan Swamp Nature Preserve

Rock Creek, Ohio

At more than 1,400 acres, The Nature Conservancy's Morgan Swamp Preserve is one of the…

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Go where you feel alive.

Pay attention to the places that pull you in without explanation.

Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve

Princeton, New Jersey

90 acre nature preserve with banquet facilities.

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Worth the stop.

Some places don't need much time, just the right moment.

Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve

Patagonia, Arizona

The Preserve is one of the best-known and most popular places for birding in the…

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Find your way.

There's no single right route, just the one that fits you.

Oakhurst Forest Preserve

Aurora, Illinois

Explore the acres of woods and lakes, with scenic trails, shelters and views of Aurora's…

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More road, less rush.

There's no need to hurry through something worth experiencing.

Raccoon Creek County Park

Gallipolis, Ohio

Situated in the foothills of Southeastern Ohio, Raccoon Creek County Park is bordered on the…

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Find your way.

There's no single right route, just the one that fits you.

Ramsey Canyon Preserve

Sierra Vista, Arizona

Ramsey Canyon Preserve is owned and operated by The Nature Conservancy. In 1975, the Nature…

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Take less, experience more.

What you carry matters less than what you notice.

River Trail Nature Center

Northbrook, Illinois

Nature is wonderfully displayed in this silent forest that glaciers carved thousands of years ago.…

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Rogers University Conservation Education Reserve

Claremore, Oklahoma

Rogers University Conservation Education Reserve is a 120 acre natural resource conservation education facility adjacent…

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Take the long way.

The best parts of the trip are usually the ones you didn't plan.

Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary

Schaumburg, Illinois

Stroll the endless walking trails over 135 acres of forest, meadows, prairies and wetlands. Also…

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Pause when it feels right.

Some stops aren't on the map, but they're worth taking.

Stratford Ecological Center & State Nature Preserv

Delaware, Ohio

Stratford Ecological Center is a 236 acre organic farm consisting of fields, forest, swamps, pond,…

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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Strong City, Kansas

In 1994 the National Park Trust purchased the 10,894 acre remnant of tallgrass prairie for…

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Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Originally spanning portions of 14 states and covering over 142 million acres, the tallgrass prairie…

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Let the road decide.

Plans are useful, but flexibility is where the real discoveries happen.

The Grove National Historic Landmark

Glenview, Illinois

The Grove National Historic Landmark is a 124 acre nature preserve with walking trails. The…

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Make time for quiet places.

Not every destination needs noise to be meaningful.

The Last Green Valley

Putnam, Connecticut

Welcome to The Last Green Valley, lush pastures and woodlands, clean waterways, small towns and…

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Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

the Wilds

Cumberland, Ohio

The Wilds, located near Cumberland, Ohio, is one of the largest and most innovative conservation…

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Go where you feel alive.

Pay attention to the places that pull you in without explanation.

Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

One of the few remaining maritime forests on the NC coast, the Theodore Roosevelt Natural…

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Leave room for the unexpected.

The best parts of a trip rarely show up on an itinerary.

Trailside Museum

River Forest, Illinois

Get in touch with nature in a beautiful wooded setting near the Des Plaines River.

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Wahkeena Nature Preserve

Sugar Grove, Ohio

Wahkeena, named with an Indian word meaning most beautiful, is located on the edge of…

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Take less, experience more.

What you carry matters less than what you notice.

Willa Cather Memorial Prairie

Red Cloud, Nebraska

Five miles south of Red Cloud, Nebraska, the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie is a botanical…

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More road, less rush.

There's no need to hurry through something worth experiencing.

Wolfe Wildlife Refuge and Bike Path

Oak Lawn, Illinois

Explore the natural beauty and animal habitats of this newly expanded 45-acre wetlands preserve. Nature…

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Worth the stop.

Some places don't need much time, just the right moment.

Zeke's Island

Kure Beach, North Carolina

With a sum total of 1,160 acres, the Zeke's Island component of the North Carolina…

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