Join the Chicago Park District's Stephen Bell for a guided tour of one of Chicago's most fascinating public parks, Big Marsh! Big Marsh is a 280.13 acre property in the South Deering Community Area on the southeast side of Chicago. Once an active industrial property, the site was acquired by the Park District in 2011 and opened as a new public park in 2016. The vision of Big Marsh is to provide a new type of recreation in Chicago that marries habitat restoration with public use. Roughly 45 acres are developed for eco-recreation opportunities including hiking, adventure courses, and off-road biking. All acreage is being developed to protect or further enhance the overall natural habitat of the park property including sensitivity to flora, fauna, and wetlands. Registration is now open.
Urban Hikes invite participants to explore Chicago in and beyond Hyde Park, in both natural and built environments - imagine a walk through the woodlands of Big Marsh Park or a guided tour along one of the lines of the CTA! Led by faculty, staff, and partners, our hikes offer an in-depth look at Chicago’s diverse ecosystems. Urban Hikes help to expose students to Chicago itself, while building relationships with faculty and partners and providing path-making opportunities for further inquiry.
For participants needing transportation, shuttle seats will be given on a first come, first serve basis until the shuttle has reached the 30 person capacity limit.