Agencies
Services
Nature Preserve Area
1
County
Kane
Location And Access
The site is located 1-mile north of Sugar Grove, in Sugar Grove Township, about 40 miles west of Chicago and 7 miles west of Aurora. It is within the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division. The main entrance to the Bliss Road Forest Preserve is located on Bliss Road. The Virgil-Gilman Bike Trail runs east and west through the preserve and connects with Hannaford Woods-Nickels Farm Forest Preserve.
Description
Bliss Woods Nature Preserve consists of a portion of the Kaneville Esker and the overlaying forest communities, cultural fields, and wet-mesic floodplain forest. Specifically, the preserve consists of the southern terminus of the 50-foot high, six-mile long Kaneville Esker and on area where Blackberry Creek broaches the esker. The Kaneville Esker is one of the longest eskers in the Elburn complex. A portion has been recognized by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory as the ‘best of its type’. Over 280 species of vascular plants have been recorded from the site. The esker provides an attractive display of spring flora typical of mesic upland forest.
Ownership
Forest Preserve District of Kane County
Dedicated
March 1995
Size
70 acres with buffer
Topographic Quad
Sugar Grove
Topo Map
For Further Information
Visit the Forest Preserve District of Kane County Website or Contact the INPC
Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
217-785-8686