We started the trail from Hopkins Park which has a full service pool with a really great kiddie pool area (waterpark quality). The trail also runs north and west along a rail trail. Follow the trail west out of Hopkins Park(towards NIU) and you will find it winds along the Kishwaukee River, which is really more of a creek or a canal at this point. Bridges to cross and nice view along the river. The map says to take a right on Hillcrest but you can actually stay on the trail and go through a park with a ballfield instead of riding on the road. You will then cross First Street and pick up the trail on the other side. A nice side trip here is to take a left and head south on the sidewalk along First Street. It will take you to The Ellwood Mansion, which is a historical site featuring the Victorian mansion of a barbed wire millionaire (http://www.ellwoodhouse.org). You can then backtrack to where the trail crosses First Street, turn left and again cruise along the Kish River, on an open sunny trail. You will come up along the west side of the NIU campus. Pay attention to find the trail as it crosses Lucinda. There is a tiny park there called Annie's Woods (Woodley Ave. & Miller Ave., DeKalb, Illinois 60115, Amenities park-playground). Cross Lucinda and then you will go through a section with the Kish on the west side and the infamous NIU lagoon on the east. At Route 38 you will need to use the bridge to go east and cross over the Kish River. It is a little tricky picking up the trail again as it is not marked but if you stick close to the river and drive through some parking lots and around some buildings in the next few blocks you will pick up the trail about two blocks south on Clifford. Here you can enter Prairie Park (401 Clifford Dr., DeKalb, Illinois 60115, Amenities: disc golf course-arboretum-pathway-open space). This is the very scenic winding part of the trail that goes through woods, open meadows, and over bridges. At the end, just cross over Taylor Street and go to Lion's Park (Lions Park 900 W. Taylor St. DeKalb, Illinois 60115 Amenities: shelter house (enclosed)-playground). Doable ride as a day trip with kids 8+, might drop of Grandma and the babies at Lion's Park and meet them later. Fun activities for friends to pick up a little history, plenty of places to get a bite to eat, especially around the NIU campus and Rt 38. Trails decently maintained, and lots of variety.