Hours Notes
Natural areas are open from dawn to dusk daily.
Description
The Columbia Basin remains a great destination for fishing, bird watching and fantastic scenic views. Jackson Park's Columbia Basin is a 10 acre lagoon that features approximately 2 acres of native edge plantings surrounding it located immediately south of the Museum of Science and Industry. The lagoon features fishing access, and is known for the ornamental cherry trees that surround the natural area, which bloom each spring. A remnant from famed landscape architect designer Frederick Law Olmsted's design for Jackson Park as park of the South Parks system and the 1893 World Columbian Exposition, the Columbia Basin was once a part of the interconnected waterways that linked Lake Michigan near 63rd Street through the Court of Honor, Wooded Island lagoons and to what was then, the front steps of the Palace of Fine Arts during the fair. The basin is still connected to the Wooded Island lagoons under the Clarence Darrow Bridge to the south.
This natural area has benefited greatly from the dedication and hard work of community volunteers who collect and scatter native seed, plant native species, pick up trash, monitor vegetation, and remove invasive species. Learn more about volunteer opportunities by visiting our Community Stewardship Program page.
Help keep wildlife wild, safe, and healthy by following posted signage and Natural Areas Rules and Regulations.