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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Are You Experienced? 'Nature At The Confluence' Offers Trails, Scenic Views

Therese Oldenburg

Nature at the Confluence opened its doors in 2017. Before that, the land at the Illinois site just south of the Wisconsin border in South Beloit was mostly dirt because it was a dumping area. Now it’s cleaned up, has beautiful trails and scenic views of Turtle Creek and the Rock River.

Therese Oldenburg is a naturalist and the Confluence's executive director. She said you can walk from downtown and immediately immerse yourself in nature. They even have an eagle nest.

"Mom and Dad are sitting in the tree by their nest kind of scoping things out," she said. "You have beautiful views of that and can see the whole experience of that in the summertime -- watching them raise their young."

Oldenburg encourages you to check out the Confluence any time of the year, but if you're interested in an educational, guided tour with a naturalist or other nature expert, you can book a "confluence experience." 

"The experiences answer the need for us to reach people in smaller groups," she said, "and to create a custom experience that is suited for all ages."

Oldenburg added that the experience works out "really nicely for perhaps a family of maybe three generations."

The outdoor experiences will begin in the spring of 2021, starting with Monarch Magic.

Credit Therese Oldenburg

"It's kind of looking forward to the next year and things that they can do together," Oldenburg said, "although we might be adding wintertime events as we go on."

Though it may be tempting to buy a video game for a child this holiday season, Oldenburg said there are many benefits to purchasing a confluence experience .

"Being fully immersed in something," she said, "being there, smelling it, seeing it, feeling it, touching it -- you know, doing it with your family or friends -- these memories that you're making together are long lasting, really unique experiences that we want people to have."

This is the first year the Confluence is offering experiences. Oldenburg said they will last at least an hour.

"They could linger a little longer than that 'hour to hour-and-a-half experience' because there's so much to do."

Whether you buy an experience or not, Oldenburg said, "Don't stop going outside. Keep going to these places again, experiencing them in a new season, like on a cold frosty morning or when the first snowfall happens."

To purchase an experience, click here. Until then, the trails at Nature at the Confluence, located at 306 Dickop St. in South Beloit, Illinois, are free and open to the public from dawn until dusk every day.