Find the top rated birding trails in Champaign, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The trail is great, but needs shade and wind barriers.
Went in early March and there wasn’t much color in the landscape, but it was a nice, easy stroll. Saw a road runner and maybe a quail, so a nice place for birding. We parked in the Buffalo Trace lot.
We parked at the Charleston Baseball Seaton Complex and rode towards Mattoon. The trail is a wonderful smooth asphalt surface which is sunny all the way to the Douglas-Hart Nature Center. It is a great trail!
But be warned at the entrance of the trail on Prairie view Road it has quite a bit of heaved asphalt and you don’t see it until it’s too late, other than that issue at the beginning most of it is smooth going, there are plenty of hills, twists and turns and beautiful scenery.
Chenoa, Lexington, Towanda...why has Pontiac not done this to it's retired section of 66? From the old Kmart to the old State Police HQ then cross over at E. 1600 North Road and connect to the path at the Rec Plex that runs alongside the prison.
My daughter uses a wheelchair and we all really felt like we could enjoy the park on this path. The whole area is extremely accessible!
I fully agree with other reviews great trail. Thanx to those responsible for getting it paved. All in sun however, might want cloudy day. Easy 20+ mile ride if you want, goes into 2 towns for food also.
This trail used to have some gravel but no longer..., it’s all asphalt now. It is a nice little jaunt to Mattoon and back. There is no shade except under I-57 near Mattoon. Wildflowers are beautiful. There are access points from the trail to the Charleston Country Club ( golf course) and Douglas/Hart Nature Center just outside of Mattoon. Port
This trail has been greatly improved and is now asphalt from Mattoon to Charleston.
The trail was rough and not really suited for road bikes. Where they patched it with ground up asphalt is very rough and not packed well and sucks you’re tires and pulls you.
The trail from Mattoon to a trucking company looks good but from the trucking company toward Charleston which is where we started the trail was not good for road bikes. They have used what appears to be recycled asphalt and it is rough and not packed down well.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!