After riding Joliet to Morris the week before I was anxious to do the section from Morris to Marseilles with the expectation to go to LaSalle. This was a mistake.

The trail coming out of Gebhard State Park is okay for a few miles, then it deteriorates quickly. Long sections are single track with grass and weeds tall enough to catch you mid-shin. Once you get to Seneca the trail turns into a farmer's access/driveway, with large sharp gravel on hard dirt, so easy for punctures and rough to ride on. This carries on for a good mile or so, then turns into mostly grass until you reach Milton Rd. From there the trail dog-legs across the [dry] canal and is even worse. The only parts that are good are where the rail lines cross the trail. Here they have completely redone the grading and the crossing, but only for a few yards on either side. It's easier to just ride the street (Broadway) on the south side of the path. If it were allowed it'd be much better suited as an ATV trail.

Continuing west into Marseilles doesn't improve. Looking at the trail going west of Main street doesn't look any better. From that point I abandoned my ride and took country roads with additional miles all the way back to Morris just to avoid the harshness of the trail.

Two weeks ago rode the section from Hollywood Rd (Joliet) to Morris. Overall not bad, but there are a few sections where narrow tire bikes might have some issues. The bridge over the river in Channahon was out, so you have to cut through Channahon State Park and cross using the road at Bridge St.

The next issue is on the west side of Morris where the trail (both sides of the canal) are supposed to cross Nettle Creek. On the south trail the bridge is out, and trail is closed. The north trail is basically non-existent and also no bridge. You have to backtrack a few blocks towards town then ride north to Jefferson St. From there go west as it changes to Fremont St. Turn left at Ottawa Street to head south and enter Gebhard Woods State Park. As the parking area starts there are stairs to the right. You can climb these to catch the trail heading west, or continue through the parking lot past the latrines to where the path goes up an incline to also catch the trail.

Overall it wasn't too bad. Some areas the path really thinned out, almost to a single-file path.

Something I noticed. There are almost no places along the trail to refill water. There are fountains at Channahon State Park and Gebhard Woods State Park, but both were out of order and covered.