Places to Explore · Illinois

Silver Creek Conservation Area

Winding boardwalks, open prairie, and wetland wildlife at the Rawson Bridge Road side of Silver Creek.

Cary · McHenry CountyPrairie · Savanna · WetlandsMcHenry County Conservation District
Boardwalk winding through Silver Creek’s wetland landscape at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Boardwalk winding through Silver Creek’s wetland landscape

A landscape worth slowing down for

Silver Creek Conservation Area protects 840 acres of prairie, savanna, woodland, and wetlands in Cary, Illinois. Sedge meadows and fens along Silver Creek are part of a designated Illinois Nature Preserve.

This collection focuses on the Silver Creek visit associated with the Rawson Bridge Road entrance. Prairieview Education Center, which has its own photo page here, sits on the north side of the same conservation area and is reached from Behan Road.

The boardwalk views are only part of the story. Egrets perch above the water, butterflies settle among the leaves, and small discoveries appear wherever the camera pauses.

Boardwalks, wetlands & prairie

The boardwalk winds between tall wetland plants, while grassy paths open onto broad prairie views. These photographs show both the open landscape and its sheltered edges.

Boardwalk curving toward the trees at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Boardwalk curving toward the trees
Mown trail through tall prairie grasses at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Mown trail through tall prairie grasses
Prairie beneath a cloud-filled sky at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Prairie beneath a cloud-filled sky
Open grassland bordered by trees at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Open grassland bordered by trees
Green floating vegetation on wetland water at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Green floating vegetation on wetland water
A sheltered wetland pool at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A sheltered wetland pool
Grassy path between shrubs and trees at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Grassy path between shrubs and trees
Tree shadows across the boardwalk at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Tree shadows across the boardwalk
View 5 more landscape photographs
Boardwalk curving through the wetland at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois
Boardwalk curving through the wetland
A short boardwalk along the grassy trail at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A short boardwalk along the grassy trail
A shaded trail through dense greenery at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A shaded trail through dense greenery
Wide view across the prairie at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Wide view across the prairie
Boardwalk beside tall wetland vegetation at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Boardwalk beside tall wetland vegetation

Birds around the wetlands

Bare branches make useful perches above the wetland. Great egrets stand out against the blue sky, while smaller birds appear among the leaves and around a nest box.

Two great egrets perched above the wetland at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Two great egrets perched above the wetland
Great egret on a bare branch at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Great egret on a bare branch
A white egret in flight beside the trees at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A white egret in flight beside the trees
A songbird among compound leaves at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A songbird among compound leaves
Red-headed woodpecker on an open perch at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Red-headed woodpecker on an open perch
A streaked sparrow perched above the vegetation at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A streaked sparrow perched above the vegetation
A bird peering from a nest box at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A bird peering from a nest box
A bird looking out from the side of a nest-box opening at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A bird looking out from the side of a nest-box opening

Butterflies, dragonflies & other insects

The smaller wildlife brings plenty of variety: patterned butterfly wings, slender damselflies, and insects tucked into the grasses. Captions stay general where the photographs do not establish a species confidently.

Orange-and-black butterfly with folded wings at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Orange-and-black butterfly with folded wings
Small pale butterfly resting on a leaf at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Small pale butterfly resting on a leaf
Common wood-nymph butterfly at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Common wood-nymph butterfly
Northern pearly-eye butterfly at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Northern pearly-eye butterfly
Orange-and-black butterfly with wings spread at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Orange-and-black butterfly with wings spread
Butterfly resting on the boardwalk at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Butterfly resting on the boardwalk
Golden-colored dragonfly on a plant tip at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Golden-colored dragonfly on a plant tip
Blue dragonfly above green wetland water at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Blue dragonfly above green wetland water
View 4 more insect photographs
Blue damselfly resting on a slender stem at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Blue damselfly resting on a slender stem
Dark-winged damselfly among the leaves at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Dark-winged damselfly among the leaves
Winged insect clinging to grass at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Winged insect clinging to grass
A dragonfly hanging beneath a stem at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A dragonfly hanging beneath a stem

Flowers & small discoveries

Milkweed and small white flowers add another layer to the landscape. A close look at a leaf reveals a tiny frog, while a swimming mammal carries a mouthful of green vegetation across the water.

Common milkweed in bloom at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Common milkweed in bloom
Small white flowers with yellow centers at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
Small white flowers with yellow centers
An insect visiting a pale trumpet-shaped flower at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
An insect visiting a pale trumpet-shaped flower
A tiny frog resting on a leaf at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A tiny frog resting on a leaf
A swimming mammal carrying green vegetation at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
A swimming mammal carrying green vegetation
The daytime moon above Silver Creek at Silver Creek Conservation Area, Illinois.
The daytime moon above Silver Creek

Plan a visit

Exploring Silver Creek

Getting there

The main entrance is at 1009 Rawson Bridge Road, Cary, Illinois. Prairieview Education Center has a separate entrance at 2112 Behan Road.

Choose your route

Use the district’s trail map to choose among the loops and connections. Boardwalk and grassy trail photographs here show different surfaces; check the current map and conditions for a route that suits you.

Watch quietly

Give perched birds and nest boxes plenty of space. Stay on established trails and boardwalks to protect wetland plants, and leave flowers and wildlife undisturbed.

Before you go

The district lists sunrise-to-sunset hours, with possible seasonal or special closures. Dogs must be leashed. Check official visitor information and alerts before heading out.

Visitor information: McHenry County Conservation District — Silver Creek · Silver Creek & Prairieview trail map.

Photographs by Brian Woolman / Where’s Wildlife.

Official visitor informationTrail mapExplore PrairieviewBack to Places to Explore

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