Pilcher Park Nature Preserve is over 640 acres (about the area of Central Park in New York City) of land with a history rooted in environmentalism, a diverse spread of wildlife, and plenty of fun activities to indulge yourself in. As a community we are so incredibly lucky to have a local nature preserve readily available for us to enjoy. Whether you want to forage for mushrooms, go on a hike, or have a picnic with your loved one, Pilcher Park is the perfect place to do those things and more.
In the early 1800s, the Higginbotham family settled into what would become Pilcher Park and built their farm. The Higginbotham family had moved from New York to Illinois for the rich farmland and they struck gold. The family settled into what would later become New Lenox where part of the nature preserve is located.
In 1920 the Higginbotham family sold the land to Robert Pilcher, who the preserve is named after, a self-described naturalist. He immediately turned around and donated the land to what would become the Joliet Park District. Robert Pilcher was an integral part of the founding of the Joliet Park District. He only had one condition attached to the donation: he wanted the land to be left in its wild and natural state unless there were necessary improvements. His generous donation shows the kind of person he was and how important nature was to him. His partial creation of Pilcher Park and the part he played in the Joliet Park District were considered so important that a statue was erected of him in Joliet.
Joliet truly did Robert Pilcher justice within his one guideline of the generous donation. Pilcher Park has remained in its most natural and wild state, of course with its necessary improvements. Pilcher Park has grown into a favorite spot for many residents in the Joliet area and the towns surrounding it.
The wildlife within Pilcher Park is the main attraction. With how diverse it all is, you are sure to find some remarkably interesting things. If you are interested in foraging for mushrooms, I implore you, go to Pilcher Park. Everywhere you look there is a varied species of mushroom. Located right along the trail you will get lucky. I am very new to mushroom hunting and foraging. It felt like a gold mine. Even going just slightly off the beaten path will lead you to some other great finds. The other plant life is of note as well.
Throughout the year, each season truly has its own beautiful qualities within Pilcher Park. During the summer months the preserve is lush and green. The garden located at the entrance on Gouger Rd is a beautiful sight. Even taking a moment to soak in all the colors is not enough; it can be such a healing experience. All local animals are out. You might see deer, squirrels, and rabbits, but I believe that what you can hear is the best part: the rustling of the leaves, the woodpeckers pecking. By just being present and grounded in that moment you will be transported to a wild world.
Fall is my personal favorite season so I might be biased that this is my favorite time to take a stroll through Pilcher Park. The weather usually is not too hot or too cold. The leaves changing color just might be my favorite part. The fall migration will be happening as well. Many birds will be heading south for the winter, so you might get lucky and see some of their migration paths. Fall is also perfect for my absolute favorite activity, mushroom hunting. During the fall, mushrooms are more plentiful due to different plants and animals passing away and mushrooms working to decompose that dead matter and take the nutrients from it. There are plenty of mushrooms that are common to find in the fall that you can take home and cook. However, do your research first and always carry a field guide with you due to those edible mushrooms having remarkably similar-looking poisonous counterparts.
Moving on to the winter, while it may be cold, has some beautiful attributes to it. First, the snow offers an almost mystical effect to the forest. The snow lines the branches of the trees and falls gently to the ground. The snow is deafening. If you were to go, stop walking and allow for the deafening silence to take over, it is truly a mesmerizing experience. I find it to be very grounding.
Finally, there’s spring. The spring months are also great for mushroom hunting; however, another one of my favorite activities takes place during the spring: bone hunting. As gloomy as it sounds, bone hunting can be an extremely rewarding process. Lots of animals do not make it through the winter, unfortunately, and when they pass, they get covered up by a blanket of snow causing their bodies to decompose faster so that in early spring all that is left is bones. While there is of course death and decay after winter and into spring, there is also life brought in. The blooming of flowers, animals are born, trees grow leaves again. You can see that through the seasons in Pilcher Park, there is beauty to be found anywhere and everywhere.
Throughout the year the Joliet Park District offers plenty of fun activities to do. Hiking, biking, and surprisingly skiing is just the cusp of those fun activities. There are plenty of parks for children to play in throughout the nature preserve. Picnic areas are offered as well throughout the park. Plenty of children will go on field trips to Pilcher Park which allows for very hands-on learning. You can find all the added activities on the Joliet Park District website. However, some of these activities include bird watching, maple syrup making, learning about fireflies, story book trail, scarecrow making, and plenty more.
Pilcher Park is something for which our community should be grateful. We, as a whole society, should enjoy nature more, and with Pilcher Park so readily available we might as well get outside and explore what it has to offer. With its fascinating history rooted in environmentalism it is easy to get lost in its history. Pilcher Park has so much to offer. From its beautiful scenery and its rich wildlife, to its activities. There is more than enough to excite you. I implore you to get outside and visit Pilcher Park – go on an adventure!