Lakeview Nature Area & Center

06/05/2026

Join us in the Lakeview Nature Area this Saturday to celebrate National Trails Day and create your own self-led adventure! Visit our informative interpretive panels, read our featured StoryWalk®, rest on the Nature Center porch, and enjoy the trails and labyrinth nestled in our 55+ acres of restored tallgrass prairie!

National Trails Day seeks to connect more people to the adventures, stories, and memories nature can inspire. Bring along your friends and family, and make sure to share your adventure with the nation using !

We can’t wait to see you in the prairie!

06/04/2026

Step inside and discover something new! 🌿🦉
Tomorrow is First Friday at Lakeview! While our 55 acres of restored tallgrass prairie are always beautiful, tomorrow's monthly drop-in open house is all about the Lakeview Nature Center.

Stop by between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM to explore the core of our environmental stewardship. Our beautiful timber-frame Nature Center will be open and packed with hands-on nature education stations for you to interact with.

Lakeview Nature Center specializes in educational experiences focusing on local flora and fauna, so whether you are curious about local wildlife, plants, or our conservation projects, there is a station to spark your curiosity!

📍 Where: Lakeview Nature Center - 10050 N 1500th Rd, Macomb, IL 61455
⏰ When: TOMORROW, Friday, June 5th | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
💵 Cost: FREE drop-in event!

06/04/2026

A perfect weekend adventure for the whole family! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🌿
National Trails Day is just two days away! Did you know the Lakeview Nature Area is home to the nation’s largest seven-circuit labyrinth made entirely from natural prairie vegetation?
This Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, bring the family out for a self-led exploration. Read a children's book together along the trails with our StoryWalk®, and find your center in the Prairie Labyrinth.

📍 Where: Lakeview Nature Area and Center - 10050 N 1500th Rd, Macomb, IL 61455
⏰ When: This Saturday, June 6th | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
💵 Cost: FREE!

06/02/2026

Oh deer... First Friday is almost here! 🦌🌿
This Friday, June 5th, we are opening the doors for our monthly First Friday open house at Lakeview Nature Center!

From 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, come visit the Lakeview Nature Center to explore educational opportunities about our local eco system, from wildlife, to plants, bees, butterflies, and more! And while you’re here, take a self-led stroll through the beautiful Lakeview Nature Area and check out the interactive panels on the trail.

Fun Fact: Did you know that early summer is prime time for spotting white-tailed deer in Macomb? The 55 acres of restored tallgrass prairie at Lakeview provide the perfect, safe bedding areas for mothers to hide their newborn fawns while they forage! Keep a quiet watch and see if you can spot some of our local wildlife on the trails.

First Friday - Open House @ Lakeview
📍 Where: Lakeview Nature Area and Center - 10050 N 1500th Rd, Macomb, IL 61455
⏰ When: This Friday, June 5th | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
💵 Cost: FREE!

06/01/2026

Welcome, June! ☀️

June has arrived! We're looking forward to the summer solstice, flickering fireflies, Luna Moths and more. What are you excited to see?

Download, print, and screen read here: massaudubon.org/almanac

05/21/2026

Hello everyone! I had a wonderful time in the studio this week creating project previews for all of the upcoming summer 2026 “Nature Makers Workshops!” Swipe through to see each project and workshop date. As always, this workshop series is for all skill levels and participants age 16 and up. We can’t wait to see what you create! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
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Our new season kicks off in June and spaces are limited for all of our workshops. We encourage you to register soon if you’re interested in joining us. To register, please visit: tinyurl.com/mpdregister or call us directly at 309-833-4562.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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As always, thank you for your continued support of the Lakeview Nature Area and Center! We can’t wait to see you in the prairie this summer!

05/20/2026

Happy from your friends, beekeepers, and honey bees at the Lakeview Nature Area Community Apiary where this photo was taken! Did you know Illinois is home to 500 species of native bees and other amazing pollinators like moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and butterflies? What’s your favorite pollinator? ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Learn more about World Bee Day, including important facts about pollinators, food security and biodiversity, and how you can take steps to support the world’s pollinators by visiting: https://www.pollinator.org/7things⁣
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Bee well, friends!

05/13/2026

Hello everyone! We have spots remaining in our May, “Noticing Nature: A Curious Guide for Sprouts” program! This FREE program is THIS Friday, May 15 from 4:00 - 4:45 pm! ⁣Designed for young naturalists, this program will explore the topic of earthworms and will feature a nature story, creative project, and outdoor exploration! ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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To join us for this FREE program, please register by 3:00 pm on Thursday by visiting: tinyurl.com/mpdregister or call us directly at the Macomb Park District office at 309-833-4562.⁣⁣ ⁣We can’t wait to see you and your sprouts in the prairie this month!

05/12/2026

Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who came out to our Spring Volunteer Opportunity at Lakeview Nature Area where we planted 25 oak trees! These new oak saplings mark the second year of plantings as we work to establish a dedicated Oak Savanna habitat in the south field at the Lakeview Nature Area! These trees were made possible by a grant through the AISWCD Forestry Committee through the Illinois Extension 4-H Tree Planting Project and our local McDonough County Soil & Water Conservation District!

Did you know, oaks once populated 65% of Illinois’ tree species and have since dwindled to just 5%. Restoration projects like these at our public parks are a great way to get involved and make a difference in our local community! Join our volunteer network at tinyurl.com/mpdvolunteer to get notified of more events like these!

To learn more about an Oak Savanna Habitat visit: https://4h.extension.illinois.edu/media/2828/download?inline

Thank you again to all of the amazing volunteers! We hope you’ll visit soon to see these tiny saplings that will one day grow into great oaks!

05/05/2026

Hello, May!

May has arrived! This month, we're on the lookout for nesting Red-winged Blackbirds, lady's slipper orchids, muskrats, and more. What are you excited to see?

Download, print, and screen read our Outdoor Almanac: massaudubon.org/almanac