Illinois is not renowned for its elevation gain; it’s one of the ten flattest states in the nation. However, Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve is home to rolling hills and hikes that feature bluffs, deep ravines, and grassy prairies. The 1,520-acre green space may only be 28 miles from the Chicago Loop, but the preserve takes the title for the most remote place in all of Cook County.
Cap Sauers is home to more than stunning wilderness-scapes and trails. The “wildest place in Cook County” is so renowned for its bird population that it has park programs dedicated entirely to birdwatching. Cap Sauers also has a rich history. European immigrants from the 1800s once inhabited the land and left remnants of civilization. Cook County is also home to the Native American groups known as the Council of Three Fires — the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi, among others — who still reside in the Chicagoland area and called Cap Sauers home for thousands of years before the advent of European settlers.
The preserve is located about a 40-minute drive southwest from central Chicago. Although the city has one of the best public transit systems in the country, there is no way to reach the nature preserve by bus or train, so driving is the only way to get there. Chicago is home to two airports — O’Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW) — that are a respective 40- and 30-minute drive from Cap Sauers. O’Hare is even considered America’s most well-connected airport.
Enjoying the outdoors of Cap Sauers Holding Nature Preserve
Cap Sauers boasts 20.4 miles of wetland pathways featuring four lengthy hiking trails, as well as protected areas for horseback riding, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The highly rated Sag Valley Yellow and Tan Loop follows a 4.2-mile nature trail with 269 feet of elevation gain. One AllTrails reviewer noted, “I’m in love with the Sag Valley Trail System! … Great views, excellent trails, and the stairs are a good workout!”…