Autumn on the Prairie Festival at Nachusa Grasslands

This annual event is open to the public, and the gates open at 10 a.m. Parking is $5 per car, and donations will be accepted at the Welcome Pavilion and Bison Tours Tent.

Riding Prairie Tours, which provide a chance to look for bison, will depart from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors will ride on a trailer through the preserve. Those with low mobility must be able to walk to the path entrance, ride a UTV to the fence gate, and then climb a ramp or stairs into the trailer.

Note: Finding the bison is not guaranteed, as they roam freely. The last tour will leave at about 3 p.m. please get in line before 2:45 p.m.

Guided Hiking Tours will depart from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meet at the Hiking Tours Tent at least five minutes before the scheduled departure. Experienced guides will lead walking tours of Nachusa’s prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. Shuttled tours will drop you off and pick you up at a designated spot on the preserve, returning you to the AOTP site. Sturdy shoes and long pants are recommended for the hiking tours, as most are off trail with hills.

The Discovery Tent offers hands-on experiences where you can touch animal fur, bison bones, and fossils, smell leaves and flowers, see how seeds travel, and observe skulls found at the preserve. Learn how Native Americans used parts of a bison, with objects made from hide, bone, hooves, and horns.

There will be food and drinks available from the Headon's Fine Meat food truck, with options for carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Farming Heritage, Inc will provide Kettlecorn.

Enjoy live music by Mike Crowe in the dining tent.

Gene and Diane Rod will provide a shuttle service from the parking lot to the Visitor Center.