It was overcast but dry overhead on Saturday afternoon when a group from church had a guided hike at the south unit of Illinois Beach State Park. Don, a church member and volunteer steward at IBSP, provided the interpretation as we went over sand ridges and across swales. (I most often walk at the north unit because it is closer to home and it's less crowded.)
top left: The Dead River is so named because it disappears into sand at the south end. Biologically it is very much alive.
top right: yucca is prevalent at the south unit (so is prickly pear cactus, but I didn't get a photo)
bottom left: juniperis horizontalis waukeganensis
-- a very localized subspecies of creeping juniper
bottom right: that's one meter square, used to measure plant density
Several movies were made here years before the park was officially created.
Interesting park. I've never heard of it. Great beach photo.
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