J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve

Ritchie Nature Preserve is a pocket of rich, untouched floodplain in the midst of suburban development. It lies along the banks of Sand Creek, which flows into the nearby Little Calumet River, a tributary of Lake Michigan. The quiet beech and maple woodland is covered with ephemeral wildflowers in the spring, including a beautiful display of large-flowered trilliums. The preserve also provides significant habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including migrating and nesting birds.