Follow the charming story, Winter is Coming, by Tony Johnston, as you hike along the half-mile trail at Ryerson Conservation Area (Riverwoods). This captivating story reveals the pure joy of nature, and the beauty, silence and wonder of the winter season from a young girl’s perspective. Children and parents alike will be engaged in the tale as the girl quietly watches nature’s busyness, and captures her observations with her notebook and colored pencils.

The tale leaps off the page through Trail Time activities suggested on each panel that help readers better understand the story’s theme by exploring the nature around them. The trail is accessible from the parking lot near Brushwood Center.

To encourage continued reading, each trail ends with a Little Free Library, a wooden box pre-stocked with a selection of nature-related books. The free library operates on an honor system for users to take a book they can keep or return, or to contribute a book. 

Winter is Coming replaces the Trail Tales story of Miss Maple formerly installed at Ryerson Woods. In spring 2017, Miss Maple will travel to Nippersink Forest Preserve (Volo) for more great adventures. 

Trail Tales® /Caminando con Cuentos® is a bilingual English and Spanish program linking time in nature with physical activity and literacy through storybook exhibits.

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