Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Dekalb, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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We rode the GAP from Cedar Creek Park to the Boston trailhead at the base of the Historic Boston Bridge and back. About 36 miles round trip. What a great ride. Smooth trail with lots of benches and several picnic areas and toilet facilities. Well maintained. Passed through several little communities along the trail. No major highways and very few little roads to cross making it very safe. Got a delicious huge “medium” size ice cream cone at the “Big Twist” in Blythedale, right off the trail. Highly recommend this ride!
I had high hopes for this trail. I biked from Janesville to the end of the trail in the town of Beloit. The trail has great potential, but the trail maintenance for the first 4 miles out of Janesville has been severely neglected. The ride was unacceptably bumpy due to the several and continuous cracks in the asphalt. The trail south of the water treatment plant had been resurfaced and is in very good condition. The trail leaves the serenity of the shaded canopy of trees to the road in a couple locations. I don't mind the adventure, but one of the roads was busy and at high speeds. The signage could also have been better. The end of the trail in the town of Beloit offers a good cardio workout going up a steep grade. Your efforts are rewarded with modern restrooms and drinking water at the Welty Environmental Center.
i’ve done this trail but it’s probably been 1214 years ago. Decided to take my E mountain bike and I’m sure glad I did some of. It’s pretty rough with rocks but overall it was fun. Nice long ride.
All grass. Best for walkers not bikes.
It is July 2026, and the 294 closure on the trail is not open to use. Please update in the review section.
8/2/26 drove over an hour to experience, well lets say "much ado about very little" While from the trail preview it appeared interesting, this is one trail we'll not be returning to. Sorry Beloit, we bailed and went to Janesville's Ice Age Trail.
I have been riding this trail for three years now. (2024 - 2026) No more. The gravel has, in many places, turned dusty, deep and slippery. You might enjoy the gravel on a gravel bike. I ride a skinny tire road bike. OK for the first two years. Not OK this year.
Rode the Blackwell Forest Preserve section on July 25, 2026. Despite hot temperatures, the shaded stretches kept us cool. The condition of the crushed limestone surface was smooth but dusty. The only glitch was that several times we rode around a bend only to be run off the trail by groups riding two or three abreast. First time that’s happened In 2000 miles of biking. Wouldn’t keep us from going again…outstanding trail.
Bike type: Hybrid (Specialized Sirus 2019)
Conditions: mid-70's, light breeze, dry
Segment biked: Just south of Algonquin to Barnard Mill Rd (north of McHenry) = 40 miles
I started my ride around 9:30am on a July Friday. I had biked a few miles of the trail just north of downtown Algonquin before, the rest was new to me. Perfect conditions motivated me in every way. Perfect temps, full sun, and breeze kept me going for my longest ride since 1997.
The entire path that I rode was asphalt. There are a couple of deviations through downtown areas when you're on sidewalks or streets. But everything was paved. Riding from town to town has always been a favorite, but the Prairie trail gie you even more than that. North of Crystal Lake you'll find miles on end of straight path and very little to see except nature. There's also Sterne's Woods, which really threw me for a loop. Can't say I've ever seen signs that tell bikers to dismount. Then you find out why. There are several hills back here to test your fortitude. At least three hills look to be close to a 45-degree angles. If you're riding these as I did, be careful and make sure you're only tempting them in optimal conditions (dry, no wind). Just coasting pushed me close to 40mph. These hills are as tough as they come to climb in Illinois. Algonquin, Crystal Lake and McHenry all offer pitstops if you need one. I saw two other parking lots away from the towns with benches and bathrooms. I had read from other reviewers that the path north of Barnard Mill Rd was gravel and dicey, so I didn't tempt that. My hybrid tires can hold their own, but it only takes one sharp piece of gravel to strand you far from your starting point. All in all, this path is a 10 out of 10 in my opinion. It's extremely well kept up, very diverse, ridable for any type of bike, with amenities and beauty along the way.
Poorly marked. Several sections are in need of repair. Several unexpected "end of trail" dead ends. Very disappointed. Wish a safe route was created to hook up with the White River State Trail, which is only a few miles away, but to access it you need to traverse country roads posted at 55 MPH and with little to no shoulder.
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