Dunning Read Conservation Area is a Chicago undiscovered natural urban wonder

October 29, 6:39 PMChicago Adventure Travel ExaminerTed Nelson

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    At first glance the park does not look all that exciting
    original photo by Ted Nelson

Dunning Read Conservation Area is a little corner of natural beauty in the middle of a North Chicago neighborhood. The park is surrounded by a vehicle emissions testing area and a streets and sanitation depot to the northwest, Chicago-Read Mental Health Center to the north, Oak Park Avenue to the east, and the busy two lane Irving Park Road to the south.

The park is not easy to find because it is so inconsequential at first glance that it is easy to pass by.  The park shares an entrance with the Chicago-Read Mental Health Center located at 4200 N. Oak Park Ave., which is half a block north of Irving Park Road. Park in the far southeast corner of the lot and near the fence bordering Oak Park Ave. is a sign welcoming the visitor and a wood chip trail. There are signs for the area on Irving Park Road, but one may not be looking there as the signs are not posted at the entrance.  There is no sign for the conservation area on Oak Park Ave. where the actual entrance is.  There is only the entrance sign for the mental health center.

Hawk that greeted me upon my arrival to the Dunning Read Conservation Area.
original photo by Ted Nelson

Although the conservation area seems insignificant from the road it is quite nice once walking around. The author was immediately greeted by a large hawk sitting on a fence. Continuing on the trail it ends near a little area surrounded by woods with places to sit. REI and volunteers are obviously busy at work as piles of unspread wood chips lie on top of the trail and sign posts with nothing on them indicate the place is a work in progress.

Bird life was everywhere. Not only was there a large hawk at the entrance, but a merlin or a pigeon hawk was also spotted flying out of the woods. Sparrows, blue jays, and warblers were very active in the marsh reeds and woods and since the area is a wetland it is most likely home to great blue herons and kingfishers in the summer. A group of geese flew over the horizon and landed in the grass of the mental health facility, so it is a busy feathered friend environment.

Since the location is right off Irving Park the Conservation Area is easily accessible via mass transit. The Irving Park line drives right past the park and in fact the Montrose 79 line stops right in front of the mental health center.

The sign along Irving Park Road.  Tricky part is sign is along fence and not near the entrance
original photo by Ted Nelson

Despite the small area and loud surroundings one would not think much wildlife would inhabit such a noisy corner, but Dr. Stanley Gehrt of the Chicago urban coyote project told me not to discount these areas. A little swamp about the same size as this conservation area in Schaumburg had six different coyotes using it as a base during the day at different times. Due to the proximity of this area with Schiller Woods Forest Preserve and the Des Plaines River there is no doubt that coyote are present in this area.

    Geese fly over the Chicago-Read Mental Health facility adjacent to the Conservation Area.
    original photo by Ted Nelson

Since the park is so unknown there was not one other person in the park, so it is a great spot for a little solitude in the middle of the city. There is no place in the park where the sound of the city can be shut out as the noise from Irving Park Road is omnipotent, however at least there is a place in the city where the shriek of the blue jay and the chirp of the cricket competes with the hum of the car and the roar of the jet.