Bluff Spring Fen

Bluff Spring Fen harbors a variety of threatened and endangered plant species and offers a glimpse of the beautiful and diverse ecology of the Fox River Valley before European settlement. In Illinois, fens are limited to the northern third of the state. Fens are wetlands that require alkaline waters to sustain the unique plants that grow there.

Location
Northern Illinois, 40 miles outside of Chicago (near Elgin)

Size
90 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Bluff Spring Fen is a prime location for hiking and birding. The preserve has several miles of unpaved trails that provide easy to moderate hikes. To protect the plants and animals at the preserve, no biking or horseback riding is allowed. Map and trail guides are available in a kiosk near the parking lot.

The cemetery is open from 7:30am until 4:00pm November - March and from 7:30am to 7:30pm April-September. There are scheduled workdays every two weeks at the Fen. There is an information kiosk at the parking lot with a schedule or you can contact Friends of the Fen at 847-464-4426.

Directions
From Elgin, northwest of Chicago:

Take Route 20 (Lake Street) to the east side of ElginTurn south onto Bluff City Boulevard (Stop light is marked Shales Parkway and Bluff City Boulevard)
Continue on Bluff City Boulevard to the Bluff City Cemetery. Turn south into the main entrance
Continue on the cemetery road to the southwest corner. Park in the split rail fence parking lot. Trail guides are available at a kiosk at the entrance to the preserve, just west of the parking lot.

What to See: Plants
Rare plant communities at Bluff Spring Fen include dry gravel prairie, mesic black soil prairie, fen, sedge meadow, oak-hickory savanna and marsh. You can also see white lady slipper orchids, marsh marigolds, spring beauties, hepatica, Dutchman's breeches, rue, red trillium, trout lilies, silky aster, purple coneflower and marsh blazing star.

What to See: Animals
The preserve provides breeding habitat for bird species such as willow flycatcher, and golden crown kinglets, Eastern Pheobe, red-headed woodpecker, woodcock, wood duck and yellow-breasted chat. Butterflies seen at Bluff Spring Fen include purplish coppers, black swallowtail, viceroy, monarchs, spring azure and Eastern-tail blues. Several species of dragonfly also inhabit the site, including the ebony jewel wing and the green darner.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Before restoration work began in 1979, gravel quarrying, illegal dumping and off-road vehicle trailing occurred at Bluff Spring Fen. Within the first year of restoration, the volunteer group Friends of the Fen removed more than 13 truckloads of trash and 10 wrecked cars. In 1987, the entire site was dedicated as an Illinois State Nature Preserve. The fen gained nationwide attention in 1990 when Healy Road Prairie, which was slated to be destroyed, was "transplanted" to this site. Today, the dedication and hard work of volunteers is evident in the spectacular vistas that attract visitors throughout Illinois to this site.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the City of Elgin own Bluff Spring Fen. The Conservancy's role at the preserve has been coordinating and implementing restoration efforts. Stewardship of the preserve is carried out by Friends of the Fen in cooperation with the Conservancy.

Restoration activities at the preserve during the last 20 years have included removal of trash and brush, controlled burns and replanting of native plants. There has also been ongoing monitoring of critical species at the site, including orchids and butterflies.