It is very refreshing to see some of the original landscape of the Calumet Region preserved, especially in the middle of such a highly developed urban area.

 The oxbow.  You can see the wall of I-80/94.

 The swamp grasses are far taller than I am!

 Trails through the grasses.

 Some old beaver activity.  Nothing like the chewed trees we would likely have seen from the ancient giant beavers that inhabited our area long ago though.

 Looks like there must have been a fire here recently.  I wonder if it was a "controlled burn"?  Performing controlled burns is a highly beneficial technique used to maintain healthy habitat.  It is amazing that such a wet, marshy area, could even light on fire!

 Shoreline trails.

 On the back of the Carlson Oxbow area is the Little Calumet River.  Here's a bird that took off flying when I came over the ridge.

 Look to the opposite shore and you can see a great blue heron.

 The bird that I spooked landed a ways down shore so I got as close as I could and got a picture.

 Facing the opposite direction from the ridge along side the Little Calumet River.

Nice walking path they built across the marshy area surrounding the oxbow.