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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie near Joliet, IL
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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is a large prairie reserve near Joliet, IL, run by the U.S. Forest Service and set aside in 1996. No national tallgrass prairie had been designated anywhere in the country before it. The land once held the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, and since 2015 a herd of American bison has grazed here for conservation. It lies less than a mile off the old Route 66 corridor, not far from Wilmington.

What is Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie?

Midewin is managed as a national grassland, with prairie being brought back on land lying between Elwood, Manhattan and Wilmington. Within the Chicago Wilderness region, no other conservation site is larger. Its name comes from the Midewiwin.

The bison are here for a purpose: the herd helps researchers learn how grazing animals and prairie restoration work together.

History of Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Before it was prairie again, this ground was the Joliet Army Ammunition Plant. The reserve was established in 1996, and the bison arrived in 2015.

Visiting Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie: tips

Allow a detour of less than a mile from the old road. Prairie rewards time on foot, so plan at least an hour if you want a walk. Pair the visit with Wilmington's Gemini Giant, about 4.9 miles away, or the Small–Towle House, about 5 miles off. The ghost town of Millsdale lies about 4.8 miles away.

Practical info

Website
fs.usda.gov/midewin
Hours
We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

All diners on Route 66 →
  • Polk-a-Dot Drive In in Braidwood, IL
    Diner & restaurant

    Polk-a-Dot Drive In

    Braidwood, IL · 9.4 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

    A 1950s-style drive-in in Braidwood that began in 1956 as a school bus painted in polka dots.

  • Rich & Creamy in Joliet, IL
    Diner & restaurant

    Rich & Creamy

    Joliet, IL · 11.3 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

    A Joliet ice cream stand on old Route 66 with the Blues Brothers dancing on its roof.

On the map

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Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie with the 6 closest stops and places to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.

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Stops near Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

All of Illinois

Millsdale

Millsdale, Illinois · 3.7 mi from Route 66

A vanished railroad village near Joliet that counted only about two dozen residents in the 1900s.

Ghost town

4.8 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Gemini Giant in Wilmington, IL

Gemini Giant

Wilmington, Illinois · on Route 66

A fiberglass astronaut holding a rocket, standing beside Route 66 in Wilmington.

Art & landmarksPhoto credit

4.9 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Small–Towle House in Wilmington, IL

Small–Towle House

Wilmington, Illinois · 0.1 mi from Route 66

An 1864 Wilmington house once sold for a single dollar, a short walk from the Gemini Giant.

Historic buildingPhoto credit

5.0 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area near Joliet, IL

Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area

Joliet, Illinois · 4.3 mi from Route 66

A 5,000-acre state wildlife area on the floodplain where two rivers meet to form the Illinois River.

Nature & parksPhoto credit

5.2 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Eagle Hotel in Wilmington, IL

Eagle Hotel

Wilmington, Illinois · on Route 66

An 1838 hotel building in Wilmington, a short walk from the Gemini Giant.

Historic hotelPhoto credit

5.3 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL

Route 66 Raceway

Joliet, Illinois · 0.2 mi from Route 66

A NASCAR-owned drag strip and dirt oval in Joliet that carries the Route 66 name.

Route 66 sitePhoto credit

6.2 mi from Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

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