Find the top rated trails in Machesney Park, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Moraine Hills State Park Trail offers a wonderful experience for any geology or nature aficionado. A moraine is an accumulation of earth and stones carried and finally deposited by a glacier....
The Riverside Recreational Path begins as a gravel lane at the base of Riverside Park on the banks of the Rock River in Roscoe. From there, it continues along Rowena Street, paralleling State Route...
The Rockton Main Street Path is situated off the Rock River on the southern end of downtown Rockton, a charming Midwestern village near the Illinois–Wisconsin border. It begins at Settler's Park,...
The White River State Trail is composed of two separate segments: a 12-mile stretch that runs between Elkhorn and just west of Burlington in Walworth County, and a 7-mile section that connects the...
Oregon Park East Bike Path is nestled along the east bank of the Rock River in the small town of Oregon in northern Illinois. The 23-acre park offers athletic facilities, restrooms, grills, and picnic...
The Rock River Parkway Trail in Janesville runs between Rockport Park and S. Jackson Street bridge on the north side of the river. Here, at the trail's eastern terminus, you can easily link to Spring...
The DeKalb Nature Trail provides a pleasant, tree-lined route in northern DeKalb. Near its western trailhead, it crosses the Kishwaukee River and passes through the Nehring Forest Preserve. Further...
The Virgil Gilman Trail travels through forest and prairie, from a quiet, rural community college campus all the way into suburban Chicago. The trail's namesake, Virgil Gilman,was director of the Fox...
Stretching north from Freeport, Illinois, to the Wisconsin state line, the Jane Addams Trail is a natural wonder. Expect to see birds and wild animals-from exotic aerial hunters, such as owls and...
This path runs along the west side of the North Alpine Road in the Village of Machesney Park. It starts at the Schnuks parking lot and stretches about a mile north to the Lowe’s store parking area....
The Willow Creek Path is a pleasant, tree-lined trail that follows its namesake creek for most of its journey through the communities of Machesney Park and Loves Park in the Rockford metropolitan...
If you can’t make it to Switzerland, then you can do the next best thing: take the Sugar River State Trail to “America’s Little Switzerland,” New Glarus, Wisconsin. Settled in 1845 by a small group...
In southeastern Rockford, a paved pathway begins at a connection with the Charles Street Community Path then heads south along Mulford Road through a residential area. At Harrison Avenue, the path...
The 53-mile Glacial Drumlin State Trail between Cottage Grove and Waukesha provides a glimpse into the past when glaciers bore down on southeastern Wisconsin in the last Ice Age. Those gigantic sheets...
Ridgefield Trace currently consists of two short segments open for use. The western section runs from McHenry County College on US 14 in Crystal Lake to just west of N. Oak Street. Active railroad...
In the Village of Roscoe, a paved path of just over a mile parallels Main Street (which becomes Frontage Road) and then continues along the south side of McDonald Road, a quiet residential street....
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
The H.U.M. Trail (a.k.a. the Huntley-Union-Marengo Trail) was planned to link all three of its namesake northern Illinois towns, but so far only connects Marengo and Union. Interestingly, the...
This path runs along Mitchell Road, starting in Machesney Park. The trail heads north and then travels east where it terminates at Sunny Meadow Drive outside of Russ Park. This short path is just...
The Glacial River Trail provides bikers, pedestrians, and in-line skaters with a 55.8-mile off-road/on-road rural route winding through farmland, prairie, wetlands, and woodlands as it passes through...
The Kishwaukee Riverfront Path winds nearly 7 miles through downtown Belvidere, east of Rockford in northern Illinois. As its name implies, the paved scenic trail follows the waterway for most of its...
The Paul Douglas and Crabtree Preserve Trail System connects two large nature preserves in northwestern Cook County. The trail begins at the Old Stover Trailhead in the Crabtree Preserve, near the...
Oregon Park East Bike Path is nestled along the east bank of the Rock River in the small town of Oregon in northern Illinois. The 23-acre park offers athletic facilities, restrooms, grills, and picnic...
This path runs along the west side of the North Alpine Road in the Village of Machesney Park. It starts at the Schnuks parking lot and stretches about a mile north to the Lowe’s store parking area....
The Rock Valley College Path is a paved route looping around and through its namesake campus in Rockford. At its southern end, it connects to the Spring Brook Road bike lanes that continue east to the...
This path runs along the north side of Highway 11 and south of the city of Janesville. The eastern end starts about 3/4 of a mile west of I-39 and runs all the way to S County Road D, crossing over...
The Bauer Memorial Path provides a short route through residential and commercial areas of Machesney Park, a northern suburb of Rockford. The trail begins at the Harlem Community Center and travels in...
The Chain O' Lakes Bike Path is a paved trail that runs between E. Grand Avenue in Fox Lake and Grant Woods Forest Preserve to the east. The trail parallels the railroad track and Rollins Road/CR 31,...
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
The Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail winds through the northern Illinois town of DeKalb, coursing along a river, through woodlands, among open spaces through parks and through suburban back yards. The trail...
Baumann Park is adjacent to the Kishwaukee River in Cherry Valley, a community on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. A paved pathway runs through the park and loops around Baumann Park...
Moraine Hills State Park Trail offers a wonderful experience for any geology or nature aficionado. A moraine is an accumulation of earth and stones carried and finally deposited by a glacier....
The Hononegah Recreation Path begins near the State Route 2 bridge over the Rock River in Rockton, a small town about 4 miles south of the Illinois–Wisconsin border. The paved trail follows Hononegah...
The paved trail running through Nick Saelens Memorial Park is a pretty one, with a loop around a small pond and much of it following a tree-lined creek. The park is nestled in the Village of Durand in...
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The Fox River Trail features 43 miles of spectacular biking, hiking and cross-country skiing along the scenic Fox River. The paved path can be challenging at times, but the extra pedal pushing is...
From Main Street and Elevator Road in Roscoe, the scenic Kinstone Recreational Path winds its way northeast through woodlands along the north branch of Kinnikinnick Creek to the Stone Bridge Trail....
If you’re looking for an invigorating motorized-trail experience, the Cheese Country Recreation Trail (aka the Tri-County Trail) won’t disappoint. If you’re on foot, hoof, or self-propelled two...
The H.U.M. Trail (a.k.a. the Huntley-Union-Marengo Trail) was planned to link all three of its namesake northern Illinois towns, but so far only connects Marengo and Union. Interestingly, the...
The Glacial River Trail provides bikers, pedestrians, and in-line skaters with a 55.8-mile off-road/on-road rural route winding through farmland, prairie, wetlands, and woodlands as it passes through...
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The Prairie Trail—not to be confused with the Illinois Prairie Path—runs border-to-border, entirely within McHenry County, Illinois, and is managed by the McHenry County Conservation District. It is...
The Four Sisters Bike Path forms a horseshoe around the northern end of Rochelle, a small city south of Rockford in northern Illinois. The path connects several schools and parks, and the city has...
If you’re looking for an invigorating motorized-trail experience, the Cheese Country Recreation Trail (aka the Tri-County Trail) won’t disappoint. If you’re on foot, hoof, or self-propelled two...
The Stone Mill Trail runs between Lawrence Road in Harvard and Maxon Road in Chemung. The 1.5-mile, paved trail mostly parallels County Highway 17 (Ramer Road) and active railroad tracks, and will...
About an hour northwest of Chicago, the beautiful Grant Woods Forest Preserve spans more than 1,000 acres, offering an outdoor respite of prairie, woodlands and marshes. The crushed limestone pathway...
The Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail winds through the northern Illinois town of DeKalb, coursing along a river, through woodlands, among open spaces through parks and through suburban back yards. The trail...
The Rock River Parkway Trail in Janesville runs between Rockport Park and S. Jackson Street bridge on the north side of the river. Here, at the trail's eastern terminus, you can easily link to Spring...
The Virgil Gilman Trail travels through forest and prairie, from a quiet, rural community college campus all the way into suburban Chicago. The trail's namesake, Virgil Gilman,was director of the Fox...
Rail-trail fans know that Wisconsin’s Elroy-Sparta State Trail is famous for its three tunnels. The Badger State Trail, which heads south from Madison to the Illinois state line (where it connects...
The Riverside Recreational Path begins as a gravel lane at the base of Riverside Park on the banks of the Rock River in Roscoe. From there, it continues along Rowena Street, paralleling State Route...
The Williamson Parkway Bike Path offers a pleasant, paved route through a residential area in southern Rockton. The mile-long trail follows its namesake roadway from Freeport Road (also known as S....
The Hononegah Recreation Path begins near the State Route 2 bridge over the Rock River in Rockton, a small town about 4 miles south of the Illinois–Wisconsin border. The paved trail follows Hononegah...
The White River State Trail is composed of two separate segments: a 12-mile stretch that runs between Elkhorn and just west of Burlington in Walworth County, and a 7-mile section that connects the...
Stretching from Afton to Janesville, the northern section of the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. At its northern end, the trail merges...
The Capital City State Trail contributes to the impression that you’re never far from a bike path in the Madison area. The paved trail meanders for 17 miles from the suburb of Fitchburg in the...
Janesville's Spring Brook Trail provides an important non-motorized route to many of the city's popular recreational amenities. The pathway begins just off the eastern terminus of the Rock River...
The Poplar Creek Trail is a 9.5-mile paved loop around Poplar Creek Forest Preserve near Hoffman Estates. The trail has a couple of hills but is otherwise level and makes for a pleasant journey...
The Joe Stengel Trail follows an old railroad corridor for 7 miles between the town of Polo and the much smaller community of Woosung. The trail corridor traces farm country along a route scattered...
The Lincolnwood Valley Line Trail connects the existing Valley Line Trail (Sauganash Trail) to the Skokie Valley Trail in Cook County. Like the previous segments, this trail occupies a former Union...
Stretching north from Freeport, Illinois, to the Wisconsin state line, the Jane Addams Trail is a natural wonder. Expect to see birds and wild animals-from exotic aerial hunters, such as owls and...
The Kishwaukee River Recreation Path runs for 2.5 miles in Cherry Valley on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. The well-maintained, asphalt trail connects the Kishwaukee River Forest...
Unfortunately, our bike ride was a big disappointment. This trail is not maintained at all--weeds growing over most of the paved areas. This is most definitely not a trail to take your young children on. It wasn't marked clearly and we struggled with where it actually went and sooner than later, gave up and headed back to the Veterns Park where it was suggested that we start from. There were also too many roads with lots of traffic to cross over with little kids.
This trail is terrible from the rain the area has had this summer. The Pecatonica River has flooded out the area around Pecatoinca and from the trailhead in Pecatonica you can only get about 1/2 mile west. Going east on the way from Pecatonica to Winnebago is currently dangerous and not rideable because the trail is beyond washed out in places. Even without the current challenges for this trail there are much better and well maintained trails in Northern Illinois.
Love this path for a short week night ride after work. If you ride into the Kishwaukee Forest Preserve round trip is almost 6 miles. Prairie and forest with some hills that aren't too challenging on an asphalt path make it a great ride.
Just rode this path 8-5-2017 and although it is very scenic, it is not in good enough condition to bike the complete trail. It would be great for a runner but there are a lot of safety issues for bikers. The main issue being a lot of deep sand where it is nearly impossible to pedal through. I have an Electra cruiser and my boyfriend was riding a hybrid trek and both of us were disappointed to have to dismount our bikes and walk through the deep sand. In one area, the path was completely washed away and there are a lot of deep holes on the path made by animals.
Other than that, it is very pretty trail. It looks like they are possibly building a new area to park in the middle of the trail. With a little more care, the path could be a four star ride.
I rode from Riverside Park in Burlington to Highway 164, north of Waterford today, a round trip of nearly 20 miles. The trail goes northward towards Milwaukee County, skirting the Fox River and Highway 36. While Riverside Park itself is nice, the trail north of it had a loose gravel bed, full of ruts, and follows a Wisconsin Electric right of way along Highway 36. After crossing the highway, the trail improves dramatically when it goes through Saller Woods. It has a new hard-packed gravel surface that is a pleasure to ride. North of there, the trail crosses the wide Fox River on its own scenic bridge-- a good place to take a water stop. Approaching Rochester, the trail becomes blacktopped and is smooth and scenic. Case Eagle county park is especially nice, and I stopped by the banks of the Fox River, which is scenic above and below a dam. In Waterford, I discovered Java Jo'z, a coffee house in an industrial park just off the Highway 20 and 36 intersection. It's a good place to stop for iced Americano coffee and home-made sandwiches and fruit smoothies, with a friendly, homey atmosphere. The trail north of there is on hard-packed gravel and goes through wooded area next to peaceful neighborhoods. I turned around at the Highway 164 crossing and headed back. So, if you want to ride the very best part of this trail, there is plenty of parking near Java Jo'z in Waterford and a trail parking lot off Highway 36 at the entrance to Saller Woods.
The combination of open fields, swamps, and creeks makes this path a calm and pleasant ride.
Deep gravel washout near Kansasville parking lot but doesn't go on for long. Hard for me to pedal through that bit as I'm 57 and not terribly athletic. Generally compacted flat trail. Straight as an arrow and vegetation groomed back from the edges. Probably would need bug spray if you hiked it during mosquito season. No restrooms at the Kansasville parking lot, or really anywhere close by and I'm not sure that I'd park there on my own. When I drove by to find the parking lot last week there was a guy lying down in his car that poked his head up to look at me as i pulled in and pulled out. Maybe just taking a nap....or waiting for a friend, but it was a coupe with no bike rack. Trail closed at 142 in Burlington for roadwork but there is an unmarked path into park across from HS per grounds guy that we missed. Because we didn't know where to go we rode up McCanna to State/Adams. There is a bike trail on the north side of road giving way to sidewalk, after crossing the river, ride north to Chestnut turn west and went to Chestnut and Pine Coffee House for coffee and sandwich. There is a bike rack across the street. Nice trail though and I will go again. Good hard surface except the spots where this year's 400 year rain got to it. The coffee shop had good sandwiches too!
The Fox River is pretty flooded right now, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I parked next to the Dairy Queen in East Dundee and rode south. I was hoping to get to St. Charles for my first attempt on this trail, and I nearly made it before I reached a point where the trail was flooded over. It was also flooded at the casino in Elgin, but that was easy to ride around. I turned back and returned north. I grabbed lunch at the same Dairy Queen in E. Dundee and then kept going north onto the Prairie Trail. The Fox River Trail was smoother north of E. Dundee. There were a few bumpy areas riding to the south. The river front in Elgin is very nice and a great place to ride. I was surprised, though, by the lack of restaurants along that stretch. My guess is that they can't compete with the restaurant(s) in the casino. I did get a bit turned around at one point, but the mistake simply took me in a loop right back to where I had missed the turn. The signage going south wasn't quite as good as the signage going back to the north. It was a nice trail to ride and surprisingly dry given the flooded state of the river.
I rode north from the Fox River Trail to just a little past Hwy 14. The trail was about perfect as it seems to have been repaved in the not-so-distant past. There were plenty of benches to stop and rest if one chose. It was a bit of a suburban trail in that it doesn't really connect to much. At one point I thought about stopping at a gas station, but there was a wide ditch with native plantings separating the gas station from the trail, so there was no access. All in all, though, it's a great trail for a recreational ride.
Only rode from Poplar Grove to Caledonia and back due to threatening storm. Trail okay in some places and pretty rough in others. But a worthwhile ride overall.
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