West Ridge Nature Preserve

I’ve placed many more pictures on the other Unilocal West Ridge Nature Preserve. Not sure why there are two of them.

As a walker, I suppose I don’t appreciate this place as fully as the bird watchers and horticulturalists, but I also live near two really nice Chicago parks that do trails and nature better than this place. The parks also have bathrooms, and my nearly senior citizen bladder appreciates having a place to pee during my walk.
The West Ridge Nature Center will be nicer when the vegetation grows in, particularly along the Western Avenue side. There are paved paths winding through, a couple that lead to little cul-​de-​sac type areas where you can sit for a spell. There’s a pond in the middle, and water features are always idyllic, but overall this place is really nothing all that special.

Beautiful addition to the neighborhood. The preserve is deceivingly expansive with winding, varying paths for runners and forks for those looking for a peaceful view of the water.
It feels very much like a «nature preserve» and not a park. There are no swings or play areas just trees, grass, and water. Nature at its best.
It’s adjacent to Western and Peterson which can both be busy roads but the ambient noise adds to the charm of the park without ruining it.
The only thing I would like to see is some night time lighting. I pass by at night often and it seems spookily dark inside.

Glad to see some of my exorbitant taxes $$$‘s being put to good use. There are a couple of nature walks along the east side of the Ravenswood Metra tracks, but this piece of 20 acre urban planning really almost, kinda, feels like «natural». A few carefully staged fallen trees, replete with dead branches, planted wildflowers, a paved sidewalk, and a man-​made pond. I didn’t even mind the sound of sirens and horns honking on Western Avenue. It reminded me of why I love living in the city, and not the suburbs.

What a wonderful oasis in the heart of the city. Although it borders on the west on busy Western Avenue, many parts of the Preserve make you feel as if you are far, far away from city noise and congestion.
The only entrance I saw was on Western Avenue, at the intersection with Ardmore. If there’s another way in, I never saw it. You can’t enter through the cemetery.
All the trails are paved, making it easy for visitors pushing strollers or using wheelchairs. When I visited, on a very pleasant autumnal equinox, I saw groups of children, runners, parents with strollers, elderly people (that’s my group!), and everyone seemed to be enjoying the sunshine.
The path winds through a wooded area, open parklands, and along ponds. In two places I saw a horse-​shaped council ring, providing a place for sitting in the sunlight. I did not see any other seating.
The eastern park of the park lies alongside Rosehill Cemetary, so it is particularly quiet there. (I don’t have the heart to insert a bad joke here, sorry!). But even by the traffic sounds of Western Avenue, you can still hear the cicadas chirping in the trees, the squirrels chittering at each other, the wind rustling the leaves. I saw different bird species, and grasshoppers accompanied my steps in different areas.
The only thing I thing might be a problem is the lack of trash cans and recycling receptacles. While those things do detract from the beauty of the surroundings, I have a sad lack of faith that my fellow Chicagoans will refrain from dumping their trash along the paths.
I didn’t see any parking devoted to the Preserve. I was able to find easy, free parking on Western Avenue. I visited on a weekday, so I can’t say if parking will be more challenging on the weekends.
This was a very nice way to spend part of a lovely autumn day. I will definitely return.

Finally, this nature preserve opened today (9÷20÷15). It’s been in the works for a few years now but today was the big day! I could not be more pleased about this new edition to my hood… a place to wander, take in nature, and just be. The walk around the preserve is just short of a mile but you take in so much. Already spotted a blue heron & some kind of fish jumped in the water.
It’s a great place for families to come and explore. There will be fishing, bird watching, fall colors, everything! Plus, if you want to get some good walking in… wander here.
Open sunrise to sunset, it’s a great place to take in nature without traveling out of the city… those of you in Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Rogers Park, and Edgewater take a wander over here.