Somme Prairie Nature Preserve

Located in the village of Northbrook, in northern Cook County, these forest preserves span the original continuum of prairie to the west and north and savanna and woodland to the east and south. Somme Prairie Nature Preserve, dedicated as an Illinois Nature Preserve in 1984, is gently rolling land on that includes part of the floodplain of the West Fork of the Chicago River’s North Branch. Approximately three acres of high quality prairie hold a remnant of the rich flora that once covered much of the state. Plants with names like cream false indigo, hoary puccoon, and tuberous Indian plantain color the landscape. Directions: This site is the westernmost of the three Sommes. On workdays, we meet in the post office parking lot on the north side of Dundee Road, approximately a quarter mile west of the Metra tracks. Please RSVP (below). For more information, contact: Laurel Ross at (773) 218-0850 or Lisa Musgrave at (847)401-3067