Micro Getaway: Eagle Watching in Northern Illinois

While the bitter cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing in Illinois are not great for humans, it is a great time to go bald eagle watching in Northern Illinois. Many bald eagles spend their winters in Illinois. They are attracted to the open water on our rivers which allows them to fish. The locks and dams along our waterways prevent the rivers from freezing solid.

Introduction to Eagle Watching

Cabin fever really set in during the last year of the last year of the COVID pandemic. I learned to plan what I call “micro getaways,” in safe, quiet locations closer to home. While I had to change the way my family travel, we had a lot of fun and saw some really cool things. I actually learned to love our short trips. You can pack a lot of fun into 24 hours and still have half your weekend left. It also taught me to appreciate all the great places we have within a 2 hour drive from home. Our micro getaways have been centered around one main attraction, since time is limited.

In the past, I visited the Illinois Waterway Visitor’s Center, took one of the Eagle Tours at Starved Rock, and took an eagle watching tour in Wisconsin. However, this year I was looking for a place that would be a less crowded and closer to home. After a little research, I decided on Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon, IL. It’s in the McKinnley Woods Forest Preserve, which is part of the Will County Forest Preserve District. It’s called Four Rivers, because the DesPlaines, DuPage, and Kankakee Rivers join at that point and become the Illinois River. The confluence of the rivers helps keep it from freezing.

Eagle Watching in Northern Illinois

After driving down on Friday afternoon, we made a quick stop at Rock Run Rookery where we were able to see one bald eagle! Having already been successful, we headed to our hotel, the Holiday Inn in Joliet. We spent the evening enjoying the pool and hot tub and dining at the on-site restaurant, Burger Theory. We appreciated being able to get dinner without going out into the cold.

Saturday morning, we bundled up and visited Four Rivers. The staff there were super helpful and were able to tell us that the eagles have been very active recently. They also shared that the barge traffic on the river helps ensure that it never freezes. Which means that the eagles always have open water to fish. After getting some information, we headed out to walk around. Withing about 5 minutes we started spotting eagles. A couple of them even landed in a tree not far from us.

Once we got too cold, we went inside and watched through the window. In addition to the eagles, we were able to see Mergansers, Goldeneyes, Canada geese, and swans on the river. The staff also suggested another birding location close by, but we were unable to visit since the road was closed for a 5K race. Riding high on our successful bald eagle watching trip, we headed home to enjoy the rest of our weekend.

Travel Accessory

I’m a huge fan of the product and gift lists you see floating around the internet because I usually find some new-to-me product for myself, a friend or family member. I’d like to offer you the same inspiration by highlighting a travel accessory in each post.

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I was recently doing some research on the best ways to stay warm during the bitter cold weather. One great tip I found was too bring an extra pair of gloves and keep them in an inner pocket of your jacket. That way when your hands get too cold you can put on a warm pair of gloves. These gloves would be great option. They’re water proof and have 4 1/2 stars on Amazon with over 11k reviews.

Final Thoughts

I hate being cold, but COVID has forced me to enjoy being outside in the Winter. Surprisingly, I learned how to stay warm and I’ve really enjoyed being outside this winter. Hopefully, I’ll remember that next winter. Hopefully, I’ve inspired you to do your own eagle watching in Northern Illinois..