Swinging Bridge Re-opening

This beloved bridge has been closed for over a year as a result of streambank erosion. Thanks to a complete rebuild by Dan Rogers of Rogers Nursey and bridge re-design by Stephen Christy, the bridge is now open.

The swinging bridge has long been a mainstay of Open Lands and the popular 123-acre Skokie River Nature Preserve. In fact the structure first dates back to 1887 when Howard Van Doren Shaw purchased 50-acres behind Green Bay Road and built the arts and crafts style home that is today's Ragdale. At that time Shaw installed a whimsical concrete bridge over the Skokie River. Later, in the early 1940's when the Skokie River was channelized, a new wooden and swinging bridge was installed. Through numerous improvements and renovations, this bridge has lived on as a special feature for adventurous walkers of the Skokie Preserve. Come out and give it a try for yourself!

Skokie River Nature Preserve

This, the oldest of Open Lands’ nature preserves, was essentially completed by the mid-1980s, and is now about 120 acres in size. It consists of a mix of woodlands, savanna, prairie, and sedge meadows typical of the bottomland areas of the Skokie River valley. Several acres have been restored, but large areas consist of virgin prairie of such rarity that the entire holding is now part of the Illinois Nature Preserve system. The preserve was assembled largely through early land donations. Open Lands has also purchased several key parcels threatened by development, the latest being a 4.5-acre addition to the Shaw Prairie in 1999.

Due to the original condition of this preserve, a number of rare birds and plants make it their permanent and part-time home. You can see many of these on the 4.2 miles of public trails available for walking and skiing.

Access to the Skokie River Nature Preserve is at the west end of Laurel Avenue, west of Green Bay Road. Park at the end of Laurel and walk on the bike path across the bridge to the wood-chipped trail on the right.