Great Blue Heron Rookery & Wetlands Wildlife Sanctuary

Almond Marsh: Just What Is This Place

Racing down Route 120, passing the MacDonald’s near the corner with Route 45 in Grayslake, Illinois, one might not even notice the swamp and bedraggled trees reminiscent of the doomed Truffula trees from Dr. Seuss’ environmental object lesson, The Lorax. Closer inspection is even more unseemly, revealing nests of Great Blue Heron. Behold the Almond Marsh Rookery.

Preserved?

One person’s ready-for-pavement swamp is another’s irreplaceable wildlife bird sanctuary. The Lake County Forest Preserve District claims, “This 135 acre conservation easement allows for perpetual protection of this Preserve and a regional trail.” Let’s hope this to be true.

Getting There:

Turn south onto Almond Road to approach the Lake County Forest Preserve District parking lot. Be forewarned that except for prior arrangements or traveling with the Lake Cook Audubon group during its annual weekend pilgrimage, the parking lot gate may be locked outside of weekday business hours. Other times, park outside the gate off the road.