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Hawthorne Hills Nature Center

Hawthorne Hills Nature Center from directly overhead

Hawthorne Hills Nature Center is a nature reserve in Illinois, at a modelled elevation of 250 m. Johnson’s Mound stands 273 m to the south-southwest, 13 miles off. Lincoln Highway passes 10 miles off. 8 named summits stand within 25 miles.

67-acre nature center with trails, meadows & ponds for hiking & wildlife-watching any time of year.

What to expect

Official site

How to reach it

Coordinates42.03498, -88.33672

Overlooks nearby

Named places within 25 miles

Museums
Parks
  • Trinity Terrace Park: 0.8 mi
  • Randall Ridge Park: 0.8 mi
  • Powder River Park: 0.8 mi
  • College Park: 1.0 mi
  • Settlers Park: 1.1 mi
Gardens
  • Community Garden: 2.4 mi
  • Sherman Natural Prairie and Community Garden: 2.4 mi
  • City Hall Raised Garden: 2.7 mi
  • Spruce Trees Nursery: 8.5 mi
  • Community Gardens at Prairie Green: 9.7 mi
Artworks
Historic sites
  • Veterans Memorial Park: 2.5 mi
  • Elgin Milk Condensing Company: 2.6 mi
  • Elgin National Watch Company: 3.1 mi
  • Illinois Watch Case Company: 3.6 mi
  • Pratt's Castle: 3.7 mi
Picnic sites: 48
Attractions: 38
  • Paintball Explosion: 5.5 mi
  • Monza Wall: 5.5 mi
  • Steffan's Straight: 5.6 mi
  • Serpentine: 5.8 mi
  • Doane's Corner: 5.9 mi
Beaches: 11
Peaks: 8
  • Heritage Park Sled Hill: 11.1 mi
  • Johnson’s Mound: 12.7 mi
  • Mount Hoy: 16.2 mi
  • Pine Hill: 19.9 mi
  • Hemlock Hill: 20.0 mi
Ghost towns: 3
Rest areas: 1
Waterfalls: 1
  • Rosemont Waterfall: 24.7 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 25 miles of Hawthorne Hills Nature Center. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Johnson’s MoundSSW 202°273 m12.7 mi
Mounded LandfillSSE 148°259 m24.9 mi
Mount HoySSE 150°255 m16.2 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox06:5818:2919:06
June solstice05:1919:5120:33
September equinox06:4118:1618:52
December solstice07:1915:4016:25

Local time (America/Chicago).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F222636485969747264523928
Precip in2.01.92.44.05.14.54.04.33.53.32.72.2

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Elgin, 3 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMapOfficial site

OpenStreetMap element way/110688464

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