You Can See Over 60 Sculptures On A Hike Around Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park In Illinois
By Melissa Mahoney|Published August 03, 2021
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
Hiking is always a great way to explore nature and get some fresh air, and not all hiking trails are exactly the same. There’s one particular trail in the village of Skokie that is as unique as it gets. Visitors can walk along a 6.5-mile trail and view large-scale contemporary art sculptures at the same time. Best of all, it’s free and open to the public year-round. Let’s take a look at the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, its trail, and the art.
Located outside of Chicago, Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park combines outdoor exercise with art in an incredibly unique outdoor exhibition. It's open to the public daily and free to visit.
Take the Skokie Sculpture Park Loop, a 6.5-mile accessible paved loop trail that's rated moderate with an overall elevation gain of only 82 feet. The sculptures are found along two of the 6.5 miles of the trail.
Because the trail is paved, it's perfect for walking, running, and biking and it's good for wheelchairs and strollers. It features forest as well as the Chicago River's north channel and it's an ideal place for wildlife and birdwatching along with the art you'll see along the way.
Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park is a wonderful open-air museum that features over 60 large-scale contemporary sculptures. Take a stroll and marvel at the beautiful works of art here.
The Sculpture Park is divided into four separate half-mile sections. Featured in this photo is "Charger I and II" by artist Ted Gall, who has a total of four pieces featured in the park.
Artists are invited to enter the Lewis C. Weinberg Biennial Sculpture Competition and compete with other artists for a cash prize and the featured winning sculpture spot, the Weinberg Circle.
Pictured here is the 2019 winning sculpture, "Trinity," by Fisher Stolz.
It's incredible to see the different sculptures around the park and get a sense of the artist. Pictured here is "Baile de Alacrán," translated to "Dance of the Scorpion," by artist Ted Sitting Crow Garner.
Occasionally, the park offers free public docent-led tours that will teach visitors about the park and the sculptures. Otherwise, you can take a self-guided tour or inquire about a private tour. Schools can also arrange a free docent-led tour for students.
The educational programs here are just another aspect that sets this park apart from others. (Pictured here is "Know Your Mushrooms" by artist Paul Howe.)
Have you visited the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park in Illinois? If you have, what was your favorite sculpture? Feel free to start a discussion in the comment section. For more information on the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, visit the official website and follow the Facebook page. To learn more about the trail around the park, visit the webpage on AllTrails.
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