Glacial Ridge, a Gem in Glen Ellyn

By Connie Schmidt

Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve, part of the Forest Preserve District of Dupage County’s many preserves, lies south of the main section of Churchill Woods. It is located west of Hill Avenue and Longfellow Avenue in Glen Ellyn, just along the Illinois Prairie Path. To access it, users must walk past a children’s playground and cross the Illinois Prairie Path.

Enjoy the rocky trail at Glacial Ridge.

Once dubbed “The Special Eight,” referring to eight acres that have not been under plow, Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve (A part of Churchill Woods) is indeed a SPECIAL place. Nestled between two sets of train tracks, the Union Pacific West and what was previously known as the Aurora-Chicago-Elgin line and now hosts the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP), this chunk of land has had few scars from plows and farming. It was purchased by the Forest Preserve District of Dupage County many years ago to prevent it from being lost to development.

Thousands of years ago, glaciers worked their way south from Wisconsin shoving rocks and debris creating land formations in Illinois. At this preserve in Glen Ellyn we have a “kame,” which is a hill-like formation left by a glacier.  Local lore claims that the ridge just north of the IPP in this preserve is actually the highest natural point in DuPage County. A winding rocky trail leads hikers upward to gaze down where the electric train once traveled, and where now bicyclists and joggers enjoy the IPP.

Volunteer steward Bruce Blake admiring native plants

Although the area was disturbed by excavation for the railroads, the site still is home to more than 100 different native plant species, including some state-endangered ones. Bruce Blake, of the River Prairie Group of the Sierra Club, is the Volunteer Steward for this unique location.  In his words:  “… DuPage Forest Preserve District has set aside these areas for us to enjoy. Every season brings a change in what you can see and experience. What I notice most is how native plants return after the removal of invasive plants like buckthorn and honeysuckle.” 

Bruce leads 3-hour workdays at the site, removing those invasives. They also collect and plant native seeds to help restore the area as it once had been.

If you wish to join Bruce on a workday, check out the River Prairie Group Calendar on our website or look on the Forest Preserve of DuPage Volunteer site for listings. It is a special place of peace and quite amid our suburban sprawl. Check out this video for a brief interview with Bruce on his work at Glacial Ridge Forest Preserve. 

Photos taken by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County