
SPENCER – Visitors to McCormick’s Creek State Park can now contribute to the recovery monitoring of Wolf Cave Nature Preserve, which was heavily impacted by an EF3 tornado in March 2023.
The storm destroyed the park’s campground, damaged cabins and other structures, and blocked numerous trails. The 400-yard-wide tornado’s path is now the subject of a regrowth study.


By simply using their smartphone cameras, park guests can participate in a Chronolog project. A photo station has been set up on Trail 5, accessible by starting at the Nature Center and taking Trail 8. Visitors are asked to take a photo at this station and upload it to Chronolog by scanning the QR code or emailing it to the address provided on the sign. The Chronolog website then compiles the submitted photos into a time-lapse video, allowing researchers and the public to observe the area’s recovery. The current time-lapse video can be viewed at chronolog.io/site/WCP101.
Park interpretive naturalist Jessica Filer noted the abundance of new growth, including tulip and sycamore sprouts, and the emergence of prairie plants like mullein, bee balm, asters, and bergamot, thanks to the reduced tree canopy.
For visitor safety, respecting all trail closures and remaining only on designated open trails is crucial.
The Friends of McCormick’s Creek State Park funded the Chronolog project.