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Dekalb Birding Trails and Maps

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Looking for the best Birding trails around Dekalb?

Find the top rated birding trails in Dekalb, 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.

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Activities
Length
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Type
97 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Alpine Road Multi-Use Path
1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Bauer Memorial Path
1.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Baumann Park Recreation Path
1.25 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Blackberry Trail

1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Buffalo Creek Trail
3.2 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Busse Woods Trail
11.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Cal-Sag Trail
13.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Centennial Trail (IL)
13 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Chain O' Lakes Bike Path
3.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Charles Street Community Path
2.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Commonwealth Edison Bikeway
1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Danada and Herrick Lake Regional Trail
5.8 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

DeKalb Nature Trail
1.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

DeKalb-Sycamore Trail
6.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Deer Grove Trail
3.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Des Plaines River Trail
56.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Dorr Road Bike Path
2.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

DuPage River Trail
33.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Duck Lake Nature Area Trail
2 mi
State: WI
Dirt

Fermilab Trail
5.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete
Accordion

Four Sisters Bike Path
4.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Fox River Trail (IL)
44.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Grant Woods Bike Path
5.9 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (DuPage County)
12 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (IL)
17 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Grove Road Trail
3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

H.U.M. Trail
3.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Harlem Township Bike Path
1.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Harrison Avenue/Mulford Road Bike Path
3.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Hebron Trail
6.7 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Hennepin Canal Parkway
104.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Hononegah Recreation Path
3.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail
79.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

Illinois Prairie Path
58.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Joe Stengel Trail
7.9 mi
State: IL
Ballast, Grass, Gravel

John Husar I&M Canal Trail
8.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Joliet Junction Trail
4.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Kinstone Recreational Path
0.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Kishwaukee River Recreation Path
2.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Kishwaukee Riverfront Path
6.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail
4.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lake Geneva Bike Path
8.9 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Leland Path
2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Long Prairie Trail
13.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lowell Parkway Trail
3.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lynn Boulevard/Westwood Trail
3.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Main Street Bike Path
1.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Mel Anderson Memorial Path
2.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Middlefork Savanna Trail

4.3 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Millennium Trail
30.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Mitchell Road Path
0.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Moraine Hills State Park Trail
11.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

North Branch Trail
21.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

North Shore Bike Path
7.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Old Plank Road Trail
21.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Oregon Park East Bike Path
0.25 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Oswego Prairie Trail
0.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Ottawa Riverwalk
0.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Palatine Trail
9.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Paul Douglas and Crabtree Preserve Trail System
9.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Peace Trail
6.4 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Pecatonica Prairie Trail
12.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Pelishek-Tiffany Nature Trail
6 mi
State: WI
Dirt

Perryville Path
6.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Phyllis Harmon Path
1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Poplar Creek Trail
9.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Prairie Point Trail
2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Prairie Trail (IL)
26.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Prospect Heights Bike Path
4.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Puri Path
4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Randall Road Bike Trail
3.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Ridgefield Trace
3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

River Bend Trail (Silver Glen Trail)
4.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Riverside Recreational Path
0.63 mi
State: IL
Dirt, Grass, Gravel

Rock River Recreation Path
10 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Rock Run Greenway Trail
12.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Rock Valley College Path
2.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Rockton Main Street Path
0.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Rote Road Multi-Use Path
0.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

SMART (Sterling Multi-Activity Recreational Trail)
2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Saelens Park Trail
1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Salt Creek Trail (IL)
26.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips

South Main Street Path
2.25 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Southern Dupage County Regional Trail
46 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Stone Bridge Trail
5.8 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Stone Mill Trail
1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Swanson Park Recreation Path
2.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Tall Grass Greenway Trail
3.83 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Techny Trail
3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Timber Ridge Trail
1 mi
State: IL
Gravel

Veterans Memorial Trail
1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Virgil L. Gilman Trail
11.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Waterfall Glen
9.5 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Grass

Waubonsie Trail
3.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Wauponsee Glacial Trail
22.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Williamson Parkway Bike Path
1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Willow Creek Path
2.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
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....
 IL 1.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
 IL 1.3 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 1.25 mi Asphalt
Blackberry Trail follows a stretch of Blackberry Creek in Montgomery, Illinois. The trail is accessible from the forest preserve entrance at Caliendo Circle.  Heading north, the trail reaches Mayfield...
 IL 1.5 mi Asphalt
The Buffalo Creek Trail makes a loop around the scenic Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve in Long Grove. The crushed-gravel trail provides access to facilities throughout the park. Along the way, you’ll...
 IL 3.2 mi Crushed Stone
The Busse Woods Trail system is located within Ned Brown Forest Preserve, a 3,700-acre property in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. There are 11.2 miles of paved trails for cyclists, equestrians...
 IL 11.2 mi Asphalt
The Cal-Sag Trail (or, Calumet-Sag Trail) is currently under active construction. As of early 2018, it has a competed section of about 13 miles, stretching from near its western terminus at the John...
 IL 13.8 mi Asphalt
Illinois’ Centennial Trail runs through parts of three suburban counties from Willow Springs Road to Romeo Road/135th Street southwest of Chicago. The trail occupies a thin strip of land between the...
 IL 13 mi Asphalt
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,...
 IL 3.2 mi Asphalt
The Charles Street Community Path offers a neighborhood route through southeastern Rockford, connecting residents to CherryVale Mall on its eastern end. On its western end, Alpine Park is just north...
 IL 2.6 mi Asphalt
The Commonwealth Edison Bikeway is a short paved trail that occupies an overhead electric utility corridor owned by Commonwealth Edison, the local utility company—hence the trail's name. While lacking...
 IL 1.5 mi Asphalt
This regional trail connects two of DuPage County's forest preserves—Herrick Lake and Danada—on a crushed stone pathway nearly 6 miles long. Together, the preserves cover more than 1,600 acres of...
 IL 5.8 mi Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 1.6 mi Asphalt
The DeKalb-Sycamore Trail—also known as the Peace Road Trail—parallels the eastern side of Peace Road from DeKalb to Sycamore in northern Illinois. Along the way, you'll pass a mixture of residential...
 IL 6.6 mi Asphalt
The Deer Grove Trail is one of several great Chicagoland trails located in properties of the Forest Preserve of Cook County. Deer Grove is the oldest of all the Cook County preserves. It's comprised...
 IL 3.9 mi Asphalt
The Des Plaines River Trail runs alongside the Des Plaines River for just over 56 miles, protecting watershed habitat and forestland through much of Lake and Cook Counties. The trail is a natural...
 IL 56.2 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
The Dorr Road Bike Path begins at South Beloit Municipal Park and parallels the roadway for its entire length. The views are primarily residential. After about three-quarters of a mile (from the...
 IL 2.7 mi Asphalt
The DuPage River Trail spans nearly 30 miles across two counties: DuPage and Will. It's currently open in several disconnected segments mainly in parks and forest preserves beginning in Warrenville...
 IL 33.1 mi Asphalt
The Duck Lake Nature Area Trail follows the southern side of Lake Como between Lake Geneva and Como, Wisconsin, not far from the Illinois state line. The trail is more rustic than most rail-trails and...
 WI 2 mi Dirt
The Fermilab Trail garners its name by running though the campus of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), the former home of the Tevatron particle accelerator. The 3.9-mile particle...
 IL 5.8 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Accordion
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...
 IL 4.3 mi Asphalt
The the Fox River Trail (FRT) was built on stretches of three former railroads: Chicago, Aurora & Elgin;  Aurora, Elgin, & Fox River Electric; and Chicago & North Western. Today, it hosts a multitude...
 IL 44.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 5.9 mi Crushed Stone
The eastern segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 12 miles of an abandoned railway corridor through DuPage County, between Villa Park and West Chicago. There are plans to extend the...
 IL 12 mi Crushed Stone
The western segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 17 miles of a former railway corridor through DeKalb and Kane counties, between LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve and the town of Sycamore....
 IL 17 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Grove Road Trail parallels the local thoroughfare in the Village of Oswego, located near the southwestern edge of the Chicagoland metropolitan area. In the north, the trail begins on the east...
 IL 3 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 3.5 mi Asphalt
The Harlem Township Bike Path lies not far from the Rock River in western Machesney Park in the Rockford metropolitan area. The trail consists of a lower (southwest) and an upper (northeast) loop in...
 IL 1.6 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 3.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Hebron Trail rolls across the northern Illinois prairie through the former corridor of the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad, known as the Kenosha Division Line at the time of its demise in 1939....
 IL 6.7 mi Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Hennepin Canal Parkway, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as a state park, follows an old towpath along a canal opened in 1907 and quickly abandoned due to competition...
 IL 104.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 3.2 mi Asphalt
The Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail follows the eponymous waterway alongside the Illinois River. It traverses the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, designated in 1984 and the first...
 IL 79.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel
The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) was one of the nation’s first rail-trail conversions. It consists of five connected trail segments with three main branches that converge at Volunteer Park (West...
 IL 58.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 7.9 mi Ballast, Grass, Gravel
The John Husar I&M Canal Trail is the northernmost trail developed on the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. The Illinois & Michigan Canal provided the final link in the water route...
 IL 8.9 mi Asphalt
The Joliet Junction Trail is a paved path that travels north–south through the west side of Joliet. It occupies an abandoned Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway corridor that in its last years was known...
 IL 4.3 mi Asphalt
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....
 IL 0.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel
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...
 IL 2.5 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 6.9 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 4.5 mi Asphalt
The Lake Geneva Bike Path runs through the scenic resort city, offering connections to many of the community’s amenities. The trail has five unique, color-coded segments. The Blue Route is the...
 WI 8.9 mi Asphalt
Although a relatively short trail, the Leland Path provides an important connection between the Hononegah Recreation Path and the Stone Bridge Trail. The pleasant, tree-dotted pathway travels through...
 IL 2 mi Asphalt
The Long Prairie Trail journeys across the width of agricultural Boone County for nearly 14 miles on the railroad corridor previously used by the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad, later known as the...
 IL 13.9 mi Asphalt
The Lowell Parkway Trail runs through the charming town of Dixon, Illinois, boyhood home of Ronald Reagan. The trail occupies the rail bed of the old Illinois Central Railroad, between Lowell Park and...
 IL 3.5 mi Asphalt
The trail user can be transported from the bustling Westwood Fitness and Sports Center to a beautiful wooded trail that offers Elkhorn Creek on the far outer loop of the trail, a shelter at the top of...
 IL 3.7 mi Asphalt
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....
 IL 1.2 mi Asphalt
The Mel Anderson Memorial Path, named for a long-serving alderman of the Seventh Ward, stretches nearly 3 miles, connecting Lockwood Park, Searls Park, Bressler Park and Talcott-Page Park. Mid-way,...
 IL 2.7 mi Asphalt
The Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve is a natural gem hidden in an high-income neighborhood of Lake Forest, Illinois.  Those 600 acres are home to perhaps the best-preserved example of the rare...
 IL 4.3 mi Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Millennium Trail currently spans just over 30 miles in two disconnected segments, but there are plans to extend it to 35 miles and connect it to the Des Plaines River Trail. The trail goes through...
 IL 30.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 0.6 mi Asphalt
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....
 IL 11.4 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The North Branch Trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River over 20 miles through Cook County. The trail was originally a dirt path often used for horseback riding; though it’s now paved, an...
 IL 21.3 mi Asphalt
The North Shore Bike Path runs for nearly 8 miles between Lake Bluff and Mundelein, paralleling State Route 176 for the path's entire length. The trail is one of dozens in the Chicagoland area, all of...
 IL 7.7 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Old Plank Road Trail travels nearly 22 miles between Chicago Heights and Joliet across a densely populated suburban landscape, where you’re never far from a café or espresso stand. Still, you...
 IL 21.7 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 0.25 mi Asphalt
The Oswego Prairie Trail is a short paved route that occupies an overhead electric utility corridor owned by Commonwealth Edison. The path forms a direct link between two parks in Oswego—Farmington...
 IL 0.5 mi Asphalt
The Ottawa Riverwalk runs directly beside the beautiful Fox River, just north of its confluence with the larger Illinois River. It's a tranquil walkway with river views along its entire length. To...
 IL 0.9 mi Asphalt
The village of Palatine has connected many of its community assets with two long sections of off-road, multi-use trail. The more popular northern section is the one most references call simply and...
 IL 9.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete
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...
 IL 9.2 mi Asphalt
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...
 WI 6.4 mi Asphalt
The Pecatonica Prairie Trail, formerly known as the Pecatonica Prairie Path, is a 12.5-mile rail-trail extending from the western edge of Rockford to the Winnebago–Stephenson county line west of...
 IL 12.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Pelishek-Tiffany Nature Trail runs for 6 miles along an abandoned railroad corridor, between the towns of Allens Grove and Clinton. The trail is open to snowmobiles, cyclists, horseback riders and...
 WI 6 mi Dirt
The Perryville Path runs nearly 7 miles, connecting the communities of Loves Park and Rockford, not far from the northern border of Illinois. A pleasant place to begin your journey is Rock Cut State...
 IL 6.7 mi Asphalt
Although the Phyllis Harmon Path is short, it's an important connector in an east-west bike/ped route between Arlington Heights and Glencoe. Following Dundee Road, the paved trail goes from the Des...
 IL 1.1 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 9.5 mi Asphalt
The Prairie Point Trail is a scenic neighborhood route that connects twice to the longer Grove Road Trail. While never far from houses, the trail offers surprising scenery, including a stretch along a...
 IL 2 mi Asphalt
The Prairie Trail runs the length of McHenry County and is managed by the McHenry County Conservation District. The rail-trail spans just over 26 miles from the Wisconsin border and the farms and...
 IL 26.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Prospect Heights Bike Path runs between Woodland Trails Park and Country Garden Park, paralleling the commuter rail tracks on its north–south leg. The trail provides a nice off-road route through the...
 IL 4.2 mi Asphalt
The Puri Path is a paved route in Rock Cut State Park, a beautiful outdoor destination of more than 3,000 acres for the city of Rockford. The path runs through the heavily wooded northeast corner of...
 IL 4 mi Asphalt
The Randall Road Bike Trail offers a 4-mile paved north-south route along its namesake roadway in a suburb west of Chicago. A highlight of the journey is the trail's passage through the LeRoy Oakes...
 IL 3.9 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 3 mi Asphalt
The 4.4-mile River Bend Trail is so named for the loop of Fox River along which it follows on its eastern end. It's here that you can connect to the scenic Fox River Trail to travel 43 miles along the...
 IL 4.4 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 0.63 mi Dirt, Grass, Gravel
The paved Rock River Recreation Trail winds throughout downtown Rockford and environs, following the east bank of the Rock River through Shorewood Park and Martin Memorial Park. Officially, the trail...
 IL 10 mi Asphalt
The popular Rock Run Greenway Trail is a balanced mix of natural areas and cityscapes that alternate over the length of the trail. The natural areas are frequented by recreational users. The...
 IL 12.3 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 2.2 mi Asphalt
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,...
 IL 0.8 mi Asphalt
The Rote Road Multi-Use Path offers a paved route along the south side of Rote Road in eastern Rockford. It travels for nearly a mile, providing access to neighborhoods, businesses, and the Aldeen...
 IL 0.8 mi Asphalt
The Sterling Multi-Activity Recreational Trail starts at one end at the edge of the Hoover Park parking lot and heads into a scenic wooded trail crossing a wooden bridge over Woodlawn Creek and...
 IL 2 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 1 mi Asphalt
The Salt Creek Trail travels nearly 27 miles from the Brookfield Zoo to Busse Woods Forest Preserve. Along the way it connects several beautiful county forest preserves and other woodland...
 IL 26.7 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips
This is a newly constructed path that runs between S. Main Street and the Rock River in Rockford. It was built as part of the re-building of S. Main Street and runs from South Park south to the...
 IL 2.25 mi Asphalt
The Southern Dupage County Regional Trail connects multiple of the larger forest preserves in Dupage county together. Starting near the intersection of 75th st and Ogden Ave in Aurora, the trail runs...
 IL 46 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Built on a former rail bed dating back to the 1850s, the Stone Bridge Trail provides a crushed limestone pathway through rural countryside. A highlight of the trail is passage on Stone Bridge over the...
 IL 5.8 mi Crushed Stone
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...
 IL 1.5 mi Asphalt
Swanson Park Recreation Path is sometimes known as the Cherry Valley Path as it's located in the Village of Cherry Valley on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. The paved path travels...
 IL 2.4 mi Asphalt
The Tall Grass Greenway Trail is a trail that runs along the right of way for ComEd powerlines. The trail goes mainly through neighborhoods in south Naperville, and meets up with the south branch of...
 IL 3.83 mi Asphalt
The Techny Trail links downtown Glenview, a charming village northwest of Chicago, with the Techny Basin, a scenic wetlands area adjacent to the West Fork of the Chicago River's North Branch....
 IL 3 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Timber Ridge trail is located on the eastern side of the Timber Ridge Forest Preserve in west Chicago. The preserve offers several trails, fishing, picnicking, and is home to Kline Creek Farms,...
 IL 1 mi Gravel
Although just shy of two miles, the Veterans Memorial Trail provides a wooded, paved trail experience for residents in the Chicago suburbs of Romeoville, Lemont, and Woodridge. Those seeking a longer...
 IL 1.5 mi Asphalt
The Virgil L. Gilman Trail travels from quiet forest and prairie lands to bustling neighborhoods in just 11 miles, linking a woodsy community college campus with the eastern Chicago suburb of...
 IL 11.4 mi Asphalt
The trail system in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve makes a loop around the entire park. The preserve is geologically significant, featuring glacier-carved rock ridges, ravines and wetland potholes,...
 IL 9.5 mi Crushed Stone, Grass
The Waubonsie Trail links Boulder Hill and the Village of Oswego via a greenway corridor within a residential community. The eastern trailhead is in Jaycee Park, which offers a playground, picnic...
 IL 3.2 mi Asphalt
In just a few short miles, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail leaves the urban confines of Joliet to bask in open farmland and reclaimed tallgrass prairie where the bison roam again. Named for a glacial lake...
 IL 22.3 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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....
 IL 1 mi Asphalt
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...
 IL 2.6 mi Asphalt

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Trails by activity

Recent Trail Reviews

Pecatonica Prairie Trail

Rough parts, nice parts

October, 2018 by campbob

This trail has so much potential. That's what really makes it disappointing. The eastern portion spent much of this summer being used by the electric utility, so it was technically closed. I rode it a few times in the evenings, but it definitely required a mountain bike. West of Welden Road it returned to the regular trail. Overall it's okay with a few soft spots. You definitely don't want to ride it if there's been rain recently. There are quite a few places that don't drain very well. I prefer my mountain bike over my commuter, even though my commuter has 38c tires. I enjoy riding it for a change of pace, but I'm sure I couldn't get my wife to ride it with me.

read more …

South Main Street Path

Low use but nice path

October, 2018 by campbob

I ride this path about once a month and really like it. It's only been complete for about a year and is hardly used. The hill just north of Harrison gives a good workout when riding from north to south. A stop at Bing's is a great reward for climbing the hill. A stop at Klehm Arboretum is east as the traffic lights can sense bicycles, making it safe to cross Main Street to get to Klehm. It would be nice if the trail extended just a little bit further on the south end to reach the traffic lights and give access to streets west of Main, but it isn't difficult to cross over and get to them with the current set up. I subtracted one star because of the short section that is regular sidewalk rather than path.

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Fox River Trail (IL)

Algonquin to Elgin, September 2018

October, 2018 by rdwyer416

If you start in Algonquin I suggest parking in the park at the corner of Rt. 62 and Main St. I parked near the clock tower and had to ask a passing cyclist where to catch the trail. Once on the trail, the portion from Algonquin to Elgin is one of the best marked trails I've been on. It is very well maintained and passes through historic areas and scenic beauty. There were many walkers and joggers as well as cyclists. Also, there are plenty of quality rest areas along the way.

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Accordion

Des Plaines River Trail

Walk from Dam No 4 Woods to Campground Road Woods

October, 2018 by stclaircarl

Have photographed 30 deer since walking from Dam No 4 Woods to Campground Road Woods, a nice relaxing walk to see squirrels, chipmunks, birds, rabbits and o yes the deer. This is a beautiful trail to walk and much safer than walking on the street or road. I live one mile from Dam No 4 Woods so it is easy for me to get there.

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Great Western Trail (IL)

Beautiful ride!

September, 2018 by bazjkm2

Solid 17 mile path for a decent workout. Fairly flat and well maintained. Follows highway IL 64 for the most part but does veer away in certain parts. Country and town mixed together. Excellent ride for the recreational biker who wants to get away but not to far away from civilization for a couple hours. Started and ended in Sycamore so there are easy amenities before and after the ride.

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Kishwaukee Riverfront Path

More to see

September, 2018 by chrisantispam

There’s the official path. While nice and paved, also has nice locally known paths. If you have a dirt/gravel capable bike, seek out the more challenging side trails. They are marked at the trailheads but the signage is hidden behind tall grasses and trees. Parts of the trails are visible via Google Maps Satellite view. Pro tip: bring mosquito repellent.

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Poplar Creek Trail

Bring the bug juice!

September, 2018 by hydrogenspark

Great Sept evening spin, goldenrod, milkweed,rattlesnake master...
But to pause in pedalling made us mosquito fodder. Don't forget repellant!

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Des Plaines River Trail

I have walked this frequently and have had a lot of fun and excitement saw many deer and small animals chipmunks, squirrels and saw a couple of cardinals, I walk this once a day and have a good time met a lot of nice people while walking .

September, 2018 by stclaircarl

I have walked this frequently and have had a lot of fun and excitement saw many deer and small animals chipmunks, squirrels and saw a couple of cardinals, I walk this once a day and have a good time met a lot of nice people while walking .

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DuPage River Trail

Don’t know why we did not investigate this section of the trail sooner.

August, 2018 by chubbycheeks

My husband and I rode this trail for the first time. We rode the Naperville and Bolingbrook sections many times. This section is as good. It has large portions with shade. Several toilets. Picnic tables. A dog park. Picturesque photo op trail branches. One drawback: dog poop. Strangly enough, not near the dog park. The poop is scattered 30 ft or so on either side of access points. No reason for it, because free bags are provided at each access point. Good thing dog walkers are too lazy to walk any farther. We will go back. The poop is not enough to keep us away. Also, we saw a police 🚔 patroling the trail.

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Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail

Scenic all day ride mountain bike trail that works.

August, 2018 by traillink275

Remember the big flood? Tornadoes? This trail is maintained as well as possible considering our financial state in this state. The only real problem this year is the collapsed & under repair Morris viaduct that closed the trail. You must ride on the road to Stratton Park, then back on a continuous trail through Lockport. Safe from traffic, beautiful river views, professionally repaired washed out sections plus fairly responsive fallen tree removal keeps the trail ridable. Occasional trees down may require lifting bike over. I try to break off branches to clear a temp path till they cut it up usually withing a week or two.

Some shallow flooding occurs after heavy rains between Ottawa & Marseilles that is still ridable...Appox 2-4 in deep max.

All in all a wonderful fitness ride from Morris to Buffalo Rock.

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Fox River Trail (IL)

Superb paved complete safe-from-vehicles beautiful scenic ~50 mile trail

August, 2018 by traillink275

I ride this trail every chance I get as I train for a triathlon. I ride my road bike on this paved trail and ride the unpaved Illinois-Mich Canal trail on the mountain bike. I am retired and ride multiple times per week.

Negatives: Somewhat rough in sections so I keep tires ~50psi for a smoother ride. Some tricky sections till you get to know the trail.

Positives (too many to list all): Good pavement in most areas, repaving is continuously fixing bad spots. Nice water refill stations plus drinking fountains, washrooms & repair stations with tools and pumps. No need to risk riding with traffic. Nice small climbing hills for a sprint challenge. Well shaded with nice woods & great river views. Very little traffic on weekdays. Weekends are fun & not too crowded. Oswego to Crystal Lake gives a round trip century ride.

These trails are the best in our nation for long fitness rides without mixing with traffic. I feel guilty riding these near empty trails alone. Where is everybody? ;))

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Pecatonica Prairie Trail

Great nature trail, surface needs work

August, 2018 by estimatehub

The pros:
Tons of wild flowers and butterflies all along the way

The cons:
We have ridden dozens of rail-trails on our recumbent tandem. This one has a fair (at best) limestone surface. The center of the trail is overgrown, so you are restricted to about a one foot wide lane in either direction. There are some nasty holes at random locations. Soft spots in the surface here and there that are very difficult on hybrid size tires. Vegetation hanging out across the trail in spots. All this makes it difficult to enjoy the ride, because you need to concentrate on the trail so much.

I would not recommend this one for any less than mountain bike size tires.

Both Winnebago and Pecatonica are the typical lovely small Illinois farm towns with shops and restaurants in both. We chose to start in Winnebago (just off route 20) and use one of the many fast-food parking lots. There is a trail from there to downtown, where you pick up the main trail.

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