We have been on the part along Roosevelt Road many times, and the part along Machesney Road several times, but none of the rest, so it was something new for us. My GPS software calls it 2 miles end to end.

The path starts at Harlem Community Center at 900 Roosevelt Road. It is a 10 foot wide concrete path with about a 2 feet red concrete paver border between it and the curb. The street has a parking lane along the curb that is done in red pavers. They were supposed to extend it to Indigo (one block to the east) this year, but the road construction ran out of time and it won't get done till next spring. Supposedly, it will eventually extend up to Minns Road in the future and then over to the Willow Creek Path, but I am not holding my breath on when.

The path continues west along Roosevelt Road past the Harlem School District bus barn and the administration building next door (more parking there possibly) and then crosses N. Second Street (route 251), where the street changes names to Machesney Road. A Burger King is right on the corner. A good place for grub and bathrooms if needed. Continuing west it goes past Machesney Park Mall, and the village hall, which doubles as the police station. It is asphalt in this segment.

Just past village hall the path goes south along Victory Lane where it is bike lanes along the traffic lanes. There is a narrow sidewalk on both sides as well. The bike lane is both signed and marked.

The path turns west at Harlem Road and becomes an asphalt path again and goes under the bridge and then across the bridge on the south side on a bike/pedestrian bridge.

It just stops on the west side of the river where it meets up with the Rock River Recreation Trail, and a trail that goes under the bridge on the west side of the river into the forest preserve HQ.

This is basically a bike feeder trail from Machesney Park to the Rock River Recreation Path, and by itself is not all that interesting. But, it was worth walking at least once, since it is so close to where we live.

I took a few pictures and put them on my blog. Not much in the way of scenery.

http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2011/12/bauer-path-machesney-park-12-25-11.html

Note: This path could be used to get from the Rock River Recreation Trail to the frontage road along route 251 that heads north along 251. I have been told by the village that next year a bike path will be constructed along route 173 from route 251 all the way into Rock Cut State Park connecting up with the path inside the park there. The frontage road on 251 is lightly used and could be used by bikes to get to the new path along 173. I have heard conflicting stories about plans to make the frontage road an "official" bike route. The frontage road could also be used to get up to Minns Road and then head east to get to the Willow Creek bike path. Minns is not heavily used west of Alpine Road.