Long Prairie Trail:
Illinois
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Description:
The Long Prairie Trail began life as a section of the Kenosha Division Rail Line in the 1850s, when most small communities in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were serviced by the crisscrossing tracks of the "KD" Line as it traveled from Kenosha to Rockford, Illinois. The line offered passenger service as well as hauling an enormous amount of milk and ice from the dairies and lakes along the route.

The 14.5-mile trail today is pure prairie, and legend has it the railroad gets all the credit. For years, rail cars sparked periodic blazes along the grasslands adjacent to the right-of-way. Woody species could not tolerate the frequent burns, but the native swaths of prairie grassland along the corridor adapted easily and ensured their preservation.

The small villages of Capron, Poplar Grove and Caledonia are anchored by the beautiful paved rail-trail. Starting near the town of Capron at the McHenry/Boone County Line trailhead on County Line Road, you are immediately met with an interpretive sign detailing the Potawatomi Indians' history in the area. This is a pleasant sign of things to come, as there is great signage throughout the trail, with information ranging from area history to flora and fauna identification.

Traveling west you will parallel Illinois Route 173 for close to 2.5 miles. The immaculate and large farm fields of Illinois farm country are a constant neighbor. The trail is located in one of the most rural areas of Boone County and that is apparent in the quiet nature of the ride. The countryside is broken up by stands of trees that create a tunnel of growth around the corridor. On sunny days you will be thankful for the shade.

The woods break into grasslands across which are gently rolling hills and small farms. Caledonia is a quaint Illinois village, with well kept streets and a Norman Rockwell-like feel to it. Leaving the village brings another 3.75 miles of quiet riding among the forest and fields before the trail ends at Wyman School Road. The trail's end is unceremonious: there are no facilities, including parking, here. For that you'll have to head back to Caledonia those same 3.75 miles through the countryside.

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Parking & Trail Access:
Each of village has trail parking and access.
To reach the County Line Road trailhead near Capron) from Interstate 90, take US Highway 20 (Grant Highway) north for approximately 10 miles to Marengo. Turn right onto State Street (County Road 23) and go north for 10 miles. Turn left onto S. Division Street (US Highway 14) and drive for just over a mile. Turn left on Brink Street (County Road 173), go 5 miles, and then turn right on County Line Road The trailhead is a half mile ahead on the left.
To reach the Randolph Street trailhead (3.75 miles before the trail's end at Wyman School Road) in Caledonia, take Interstate 90 to Riverside Blvd. and go east for 1.25 miles. Turn left onto Argyle Road and go north for 2.8 miles. Turn left onto Belvidere Road. After 0.75 mile, turn right onto W. Lane Road (County Road 173), and continue for 2.4 miles. Turn right onto Caledonia Road and go 0.4 mile. Turn left on Randolph Street and look for the trailhead in two blocks.
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Reviews: [2 trail ratings]
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Nice walk
By ilbob in December, 2011
Wilma and I went out yesteday (Christmas Eve) for a nice walk.

We parked At Roland Olson FP and walked east to Brown Conservation Park where the trail crosses Caledonia Road.

Pictures and video at http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2011/12/long-prairie-trail-12-24-11.html

The section we walked included about a half a mile of the Stone Bridge Trail. Base Camp said it was 5.4 miles round trip. Sounds about right.

Brown Conservation park is fairly new and is not shown on the Boone County Conservation District map of the trail or even as a facility on the web site, although it is mentioned in one of their newsletters online.

The trail is blacktop, about 10 feet wide. It is the same old RR bed as the Stone Bridge Trail, constructed similarly. Much of the trail has steep drops offs along side it, some times 40 or 50 feet, and a few places it is level to the adjacent land. There are even a few places where it has been dug out and there are 5 to 10 foot high berms along side it. Like the SBT, there is a mostly wooded buffer of 30-50 feet on either side of the trail. The trail section we were on was well maintained.

The scenery is a lot different than the SBT though. It is mostly farm lands, so I did not feel like I was walking thru people's back yards so much. There are several stone culverts that go under the trail. I don't know if they are for drainage or once provided access to the farm fields, or both. The steep sides along the trail would make it difficult to explore them, except at one spot where it might have been possible. Probably would have been a nice picture but it was on our way back and I did not have the time to spend. There are a number of places where farmers cross the trail to get to their fields. Some are marked with signs and stripes on the trail, a couple are not marked at all. Some have pavement adjacent to the trail for the farmers, others don't.

We ran across some joggers, walkers, and bikers. Maybe a total of 8 to 10 people and 2 dogs. We even ran across an older couple with the two dogs. The man was pushing the woman in a wheel chair. They had two dogs with them. One dog was an older golden retriever who I ran across sleeping at the trail head at McMichael Road. They said he was too old to walk but wanted to come out with them so he slept there and waited for them to come back. I am not normally a fan of loose and/or unleashed dogs but both dogs were friendly and well behaved. They pointed to a house near the trail head where they live.

Parking, toilets, and water at both Roland Olson FP and Brown Conservation Park although Brown Conservation Park where we turned around seemed to be semi-closed. The parking area was blocked off, but the well worked, and the toilets were open. I am going to email the district and ask about it, as I kind of had in mind parking there next week one day and walking another section toward the east and back.
Great trail for our first family bike ride
By triskal in September, 2009
We recently got a hitch and bike rack for our van and this was our first outing as whole family all 5 of us - my wife and I and our 10, 7 and 4 year old boys. My wife pulled our youngest on his tag-a-long bike and I helped keep the pack in line and warned of oncoming riders. We only went 3 miles out and back starting in Poplar Grove and heading east toward Capron but it was an enjoyable ride. The boys were tired at the end this having been their first long ride.

The trail was fairly busy on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. When we got back to the car we stopped at The Trail Stop and got some yummy ice cream afterwards. I highly recommend stopping there for a treat if you don't mind stocking back up on those calories you just spent. It is right next to the trail where it crosses State St in Poplar Grove.

For some reason this trail officially ends half way between Caledonia and highway 251 but in fact you can ride all the way to 251 which as another reviewer pointed out makes for a total of about 20 miles one way. We didn't right that direction but I know it goes all the way..

All in all a great trail.
Stone Bridge and Long Prairie Trails
By rayrich3 in September, 2009
i decided to see how far i could get on this trail yesterday..i started out at the very begining of the Stone Bridge trail at Rockton Rd and 251 and rode til the very end of Long Prairie Trail.. it was just over 20 miles one way! pretty long ride..nice flat path but not much to see besides trees and fields! but 40 miles round trip was some great exercise!
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