Discover Your Place in Nature

Come and explore Severson Dells, with our hiking trails, visitor center, The Grove Nature Playscape and gift store. We offer a wide range of engaging programs for all ages to connect with nature.

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    Discover a Sense of Belonging

    Everyone belongs in nature. Join us as a member and discover a sense of community with other nature lovers and the wild world itself! Your membership helps to make nature education more accessible to everyone now and for future generations. Click below to learn more about the benefits of joining as a member of Severson Dells. 

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    Field Notes Blog

    Take a Walk with All Your Senses!

    By Liz Wiener • February 4, 2026
    Have you ever gone on a "Senses" walk?

    Join us at Fore the Prairie!

    By Linda Sandquist • January 28, 2026
    Resting up from the NFL playoffs and getting ready for the Super Bowl? Looking for a unique event this weekend? Join us at Fore the Prairie , a family-friendly event focusing on the restoration of the former Elliot Golf Course with a golf twist. In 2024, Severson Dells Education Foundation purchased 168 acres of the shuttered Elliot Golf Course for the purpose of transforming it into a natural preserve that will serve the community with nature education for all ages. Since then, turf grass and non-native trees have been removed and now it’s time to plant a prairie. We will be bombing 50 acres of tilled soil with golfball size prairie seed balls. The balls can be hit with a golf club or shot from a three person sling shot. The seed balls will lay dormant and, as the soil warms up, they will come to life and be the first seedlings on the new prairie. This is only one of the events happening at Fore the Prairie . You can play in a golf simulator, participate in tabletop miniature golf, learn about our restoration of the golf course, and enjoy some hot cocoa and roast some s’mores. You’ll also be able to participate in a ticketed silent auction and see the plans for our Buy an Acre project which will allow you to purchase part of or an entire acre to support the rewilding project. Free and open to the public, activities will be ticketed at an affordable price with all proceeds going toward the restoration of the former Elliot Golf Course. For more information on how to support Severson Dells go to SeversonDells.org/ForeThePrairie

    Positive Nature News in 2025

    January 9, 2026
    It is easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of negative news. Our society's focus on what is wrong in the world clouds over the bits that are good in the world. To us, there is good happening in the world everyday. These moments deserve to be recognized and celebrated. We've compiled a collection of Positive Nature News from 2025 in hopes of inspiring our community to join us in our mission to strive for more environmental protection, restoration, and discovery in 2026. Local News Local to Illinois and neighboring states Bison Return to Kane County Prairies

    Land Acknowledgement Statement

    Severson Dells Nature Center and Preserve are located on the traditional lands of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Meskwaki, Winnebago (Nebraska) and Potawatomi.  We recognize these people, among others, for their stewardship of this land.


    To learn more about territory acknowledgments and to find out more about the land you are on, visit:         Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land. Please contact us if you have additional information or suggestions.