The Illinois & Michigan Canal provided the first complete water route from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico by connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River via the Illinois River. Today, the I&M Canal trail has preserved 80 of the original 96 miles as a multi-use trail that begins in Summit, Illinois, and follows the canal towpath southwest to Peru, forming the lower portion of the trail. This northern segment runs from US 45/12 southwest to SR 83/Kingery Highway.
The trail largely borders sections of Cook County Forest Preserve, paralleling Archer Drive/SR 171. For more information on the southern segment visit www.TrailLink.com's
Illinois & Michigan Canal NHC page.
Actual distance if you ride one full circuit of the trail is 11.01 miles.
Pavement worn out, not scheduled for repaving for at least 1 year.
Deer and Coyotes not uncommon, watch for chipmunks in high summer
Please observe trail rules, call out when ...