Explore the best rated trails in Crystal Lake, IL, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Illinois Prairie Path and Southern Dupage County Regional Trail . With more than 150 trails covering 1341 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.
This path is in poor condition and needs to be redone. It is asphalt but time is not on its side. Wish I did not waste my time on this path.
The trail is kind of rough, old asphalt with crushed stones? But the area it runs through is really nice. Good test for my new phone holder, it didn't fall out! It would be a keeper if it could be smoother.
Rode just about 8 miles on the Palos Hills end. Beautiful paved trail, beautiful weather on 8/24/25. Definitely would ride again.
The Red Paved Loop is great for inline skaters. The path is fairly clear of sticks and rocks. There are a couple of nice declines to build up a little speed, and the inclines aren't too steep. The trail is accessible right from the parking lot
Trail is beautiful but sooooo many people. Pedestrians dont care about the bike lanes, they walk in front of you
After riding 7,000 or so miles since 2019; all over the country (but primarily N IL, Iowa, WI); today is the day I got to enjoy a paved trail in Cook County. We parked in the west and rode to East end in Alsip and back. Roughly 25 miles round trip. Hot humid and windy 92F. I felt like shade was about 50% of trail length. It is a Great trail as in you do not even know you are in one of the busiest counties in the nation. I wish we could figure out how to connect from Alsip to the lakefront. We tried to bike about a mile further east on the road but then it started to seem like an industrial park so we turned around.
My buddy and I rode the trail from Big Hill Park to downtown Janesville yesterday. What a great ride. About 60% of the trail is shaded. The blacktop three miles or so from Janesville is heavily cracked and rough but not too bad. The first 9mi it’s a very smooth trail. We’ll be doing this one again.
This is the portion that is most scenic. Part of the trail from Burlington to Rochester was closed
Reportedly, a guy got arrested and thrown in jail in July 2025 for riding an e-bike on the Joliet Junction trail. Like, what do these people have against e-bikes? Especially when they are riding responsibly and using common sense, not colliding with anything or anyone else. Totally can not recommend at all. And the cops will stop you, too. They don't care if you're doing 5 mph, if your bike even looks like an e-bike, they'll still stop you.
I ride on the Prarie Path almost all the time and I love it! Goes by many downtown areas and the places you ride by are pretty nice. I would recommend!
I've been biking this trail for over 30 years at varying degrees of fitness. It is in part, protected from sun with shade and also from wind. This offers a reprieve from really hot days with heavy wind. It can get congested so being aware of others and biking courteously is important. There is pedestrian traffic that occasionally has no clue it's a shared path, as well as the over enthusiastic cyclist that equally behaves rudely. Most people however are genuinely out enjoying nature and each other.
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