Fall is the favorite season for many. My husband, Chris, pointed out recently that in our life, we will only experience, at most, 100 seasons of fall. Get-togethers with family, dinners out with friends, hugs from grandchildren—all things we will experience more than 100 times. Fall is, as they say, a “limited-time offer.”
Recently, two generations of my family went on a trip over Labor Day. They traveled over 700 miles during a three-day weekend. Those miles were filled with reminiscing about lives well-lived, laughing about funny events that occurred decades ago, and simply looking out the window and enjoying the beautiful countryside.
Being a lifelong resident of McHenry and Kane counties has given me the privilege of enjoying our beautiful countryside. If you are considering taking a ride in the country this fall, please consider taking a drive along the following routes. When you are riding, it is often nice to have an end point in mind; I have included a few suggested restaurants along the way.
The beautifully wooded community Bull Valley could be considered a McHenry County hidden gem. To get there, go north on Route 47 to Bull Valley Road. Turn right on Country Club Road. Go east on Country Club Road, turn left on Queen Anne Road, then right onto Bull Valley Road. Head east on Bull Valley Road, and turn right on Crystal Lake Road. Head south on Crystal Lake Road to Mason Hill Road. Turn right onto Mason Hill Road. Mason Hill road leads to Country Club Road. Turn right on Country Club Road and then follow it back to Route 47. While in Woodstock, consider heading to O’Leary’s Pub on the Square for lunch or dinner.
Another drive to consider is to Harvard. Start out going north on Route 47 to Route 176, turn left. Take Route 176 to Route 23 and turn right. Take Route 23 north. Between McGuire Road and Route 173 you may catch a glimpse of the castle that is on the right. Turn left on Route 173 to go toward downtown Harvard. While in Harvard, consider checking out McHenry County’s oldest bakery, Swiss Maid. It is well worth the drive! On the way home, Take Route 173 west to Route 23, turn right. Go south on Route 23 to Route 14. Turn left on Route 14. Take Route 14 to Route 47. Turn right on Route 47 and head south back to Huntley.
The Kane County Forest Preserve owns land that is near the Huntley Factory Shops. The name of the site is The Freeman Kame-Meaagher Farm. It is a beautiful piece of property that you may want to visit. To get there, go south on Route 47 to Freeman
Road, then turn left. Freeman Road is just prior to the I-90 tollway. Go east on Freeman Road—the property is on the right. Consider stopping by Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch on your way back. Their apple cider donuts are delicious! Goebbert’s is south on route 47, just past the I-90 interchange.
Each fall there is an event called Autumn Drive. It is held along Franklinville Road and Garden Valley Road. It is an extremely popular event that features crafters and artists. It will be held October 19-21. To get there, take Route 47 north to Route 176, turn left. Head west on Route 176 to Franklinville Road. From there simply look for the signs. There is not a lot of formal parking, and you may have to walk a bit, but it is a fantastic country event.
I hope that you are able to enjoy this fall and perhaps a ride in the country. Although I have checked these directions multiple times, please consider visiting www.mapquest.com and mapping out your route prior to the start of your trip. Enjoy!
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or tgsinc12@msn.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She will address it in an upcoming column.
