Eggers Grove

The land where Eggers Grove now stands once lay under the waters of Lake Michigan’s larger ancestor, Lake Chicago. As the water retreated, it left behind sand ridges, and long wetlands formed between them. Today, Eggers is a unique habitat, combining dry, wooded ridges where spring wildflowers thrive with long, narrow wetlands filled with sedges, marsh grasses, emergent forbs, and waterfowl. The large marsh to the southeast is one of the few remaining local wetlands where Virginia rails nest.

Other bird species include gray catbirds, yellow warblers, song sparrows, eastern kingbirds, and red-eyed vireos. The preserve’s varied woodland and wetland landscape attracts spring and fall migrations of both waterfowl and songbirds. Ongoing restoration work helps maintain this ecologically significant area.

The Forest Preserves of Cook County, in partnership with the Field Museum, is currently working to restore the natural water flow of the big marsh and improve conditions that many wetland birds rely on for nesting.

This location features accessible picnic shelters, providing inclusive spaces for visitors to gather and enjoy the preserve’s natural beauty. Eggers Grove is proudly part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, which is dedicated to protecting and restoring natural areas for all to experience.