By Elizabeth, Intern, Go Green Glen Ellyn

My name is Elizabeth and I will be your guest writer for the summer! I’m a rising Senior at Glenbard West and am interning with Go Green this summer! I have long been passionate about protecting the environment, but after taking AP Environmental Science this year, my interest was renewed.

Today we’re gonna talk about Glen Ellyn’s best hidden gem, and no its not a restaurant or a store, its a forest preserve right off of the Prairie Path called Glacial Ridge. There’s so much unique history there, so read on for more details!

Did you know there used to be a glacier in Glen Ellyn? Why, yes, there was. It was called the Wisconsin Glacier. Between 10,500 and 30,000 years ago when the glacier melted at the end of the last Ice Age, it left one of Glen Ellyn’s best hidden gems, Glacial Ridge, now located right off of the Prairie Path about 20 minutes walking, east of Crescent and Park.

When the ice retreated it left behind a variety of geological quirks that you can still see to this day, like a physical history book. The glacier left behind what are called glacial erratics, which look like big boulders.

The glacier also left terminal/end moraines which are long hills, often several miles long.

Ultimately, the big geological term that I will leave for you is a glacial kame. When ice melts, it melts unevenly, so oftentimes there’s a hole in the center of the ice. As the ice retreats, accumulated material falls into the hole, builds up and creates a mound called a kame.

The area would remain undisturbed for the next 10,000 or so years until in 1900 the Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railway built a railroad along where the Prairie Path is now, so some of the glacial soils were removed. In 1957 the railroad ceased to operate. In 1967, the Dupage Highway Commission purchased the land and built the Prairie Path.

Finally, in 2004 the Dupage Forest Preserve District bought the land to preserve it. Now, the area is host to a variety of native plants and geological time stamps that you can visit. If you’re interested in learning more, check out this link!

Go visit Glacial Ridge! It's a unique hike that offers you a window into the past. It's about a third of a mile hike that could take anywhere from 5-15 minutes with 45 feet in elevation difference. You cannot drive up to the path, but Walnut Glen Park is a good place to park and walk or bike. Look for this sign to indicate you’ve arrived.

Enjoy the views, the history and see if you can spot any of the unique geological features to this area or any remnants from the railroad!

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage hosts restoration days every couple weeks and you can help out. You can sign up to volunteer here or get more information here.

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