Explore the best rated trails in Buffalo Grove, IL, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail and Tall Grass Greenway Trail . With more than 126 trails covering 5014 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
It’s a short path that went quicker than expected on rollerblades. Still a nice path to explore, well maintained for the most part. I started at Doty Park (and I did not find a skate park as mentioned in the description, that was a bummer) and continued all the way to its end (a little past Boone County Conservation District) and then headed back again. Checking out all the little forks helped me to rack up around 8 miles round trip.
Announced last week is the closure of the 127th St. bridge which is located just east of CalSag Road. This will take place from March to December, 2024. Or in other words, the whole biking season for 2024. The repair of the intersection at 127th and CalSag road was completed in late 2023.
Busse Forest Nature Preserve is a slice of tranquility completely surrounded by the chaos of highways and the hectic, hurry up conditions of suburbia. It's like a mini Central Park, but in the burbs of Chicago. If I was fortunate to have something like this near my home in my metropolis of southern California I'd be hiking, biking, or fishing it every day!
Since I as staying at the Hampton Inn in Schaumberg, I simply rode my bike down the Schaumberg Bikeway alongside Woodfield Road for about a half mile to access the park.
It was shortly after sunrise on a chilly weekday morning in early October as I entered the serenity of the preserve and its forests, lakes, and large grassy areas. I was joined by dog walkers, joggers, fishermen, bicyclists, a rollerblader, and hundreds of geese.
The treelined paths were carpeted with golden leaves, and many large flocks of geese called many of the grassy areas home. I was fortunate enough to see and hear a massive bull elk making its wailing, bugle-like call in an attempt to entice two cows he was near to get cozy with him.
All in all, Busse Woods Trail is a delightful system of curvy trails, dense woods, large swaths of lawn, and beautiful lakes. What a precious gem for the communities of the burbs and this lucky visitor from SoCal!
On a perfect weekday morning in early October I experienced by bicycle the South Shore portion of the Oak Leaf Trail.
I parked in the Grant Park Beach parking lot in South Milwaukee and headed north to Cupertino Park and then back, a distance of about twelve miles. Even though it was such a short ride it took me over two hours since I had to frequently stop for the awesome photo ops. The views of the lake and the Milwaukee skyline are sensational!
The trail is obviously beloved by the community. Not only were there plenty of other bicyclists, but there were a tremendous amount of friendly pedestrians walking their dogs or getting their steps in, especially in Bay View Park.
The South Shore portion of the trail has so much to offer: woods, tree lined streets with charming homes, wildflowers, squirrels, geese, shoreline, lots of curves, five parks, yachts, and plenty of benches to take in the marvelous views of Lake Michigan and the downtown skyline. Besides the lake views, I especially enjoyed the curvy trail covered in golden leaves through the woods of Grant Park.
TWO WORDS OF WARNING:
1) There are hills.
2) There are cracked and uplifted portions of trail through the woods of Grant Park due to tree roots. They will effectively work like speed bumps and slow you down a bit.
However, all in all, this is an enjoyable ride and certainly worthy of your time and five stars!
This trail was actually a former C&NW railway that served Lake Geneva and terminated in Williams Bay. Service to Williams Bay started in 1888 and ended in 1965. Service to Lake Geneva ended in 1975. Thanks to Maxine Thoorsell for starting the conversion of turning this former railway into a nature trail. It is an easy grass covered walk and the trail is 1.7 miles in length. You can also access the trail at the boat launch to the west...behind the barn. A separate trail that is part of this former railway extends from Williams Bay Northeast up to Hwy 50 in the Kishwaukeetoe Conservancy
I live close enough to bike to this ‘trail’ but to get to it I have to cross a fairly busy street as there is no parking available. This ‘trail’ is more of an extra wide asphalt sidewalk more than anything else. I do enjoy the short ride once I’m on it.
We wanted to start at the very beginning of the trail. We parked in the parking lot of the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall with no problems. To get to the trail from there you will have to ride on the street about 2 blocks so be careful of cars. The first three miles of the trail are asphalt paved but there are numerous locations that have either buckled or have tree roots that are pushing up; so this has caused there to be some pretty intense bumps along the way. No worries about this…just try to avoid them because after about mile 2.5 they completely go away. Not sure exactly what mile mark but the asphalt changes to a smooth and easy to ride limestone path. There are a few bridges that you ride across so those are decent photo ops. There is not a whole lot to
Once a great hiking preserve no not so much. It is evident that funding just isn’t there for a quality site like other county trails. They still have a chain link fence blocking off an area damaged years ago which looks like an excuse to no maintain and save money. As it’s been under repair for a good 10 years. Deer grove was my backyard growing up and it was an amazing preserve it’s sad to say that it is no more
Don't bother. Trail is still closed and the canal has been drained. The wildlife is gone and the trail not maintained. This is why I gave it a one star rating. There isn't a zero rating which it deserves.
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