North Chicago, IL Birding Trails and Maps

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Looking for the best Birding trails around North Chicago?

Find the top rated birding trails in North Chicago, 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
Surfaces
Type
107 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

312 RiverRun

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Almond Road Bike Path

1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Bartlett Trail

1.23 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Bloomingdale Trail (The 606)

2.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Busse Woods Trail

11.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Cal-Sag Trail

13.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Centennial Trail (IL)

13 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Chicago Lakefront Trail

19 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

ComEd Greenway

2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Danada and Herrick Lake Regional Trail

5.8 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Deer Grove Trail

3.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Des Plaines River Trail

56.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

DuPage River Trail

33.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Duck Lake Nature Area Trail

2 mi
State: WI
Dirt

Fox River Trail (IL)

45.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Grant Woods Bike Path

5.9 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (DeKalb, Kane)

18 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (DuPage)

12.7 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

H.U.M. Trail

3.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt
Accordion

Hank Aaron State Trail (Route of the Badger)

15.2 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Hebron Trail

6.7 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Illinois Prairie Path

58.52 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

John Husar I&M Canal Trail

8.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

KR Trail (Route of the Badger)

1.5 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Boardwalk

Kuhn Road Trail

1.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lake Andrea Multi-Use Path

2.3 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Lake Arlington Walking Path

2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lake George Trail

3.1 mi
State: IN
Asphalt

Lincolnwood Valley Line Trail

1.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Major Taylor Trail

7.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Middlefork Savanna Trail

4.3 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Millennium Trail (IL)

30.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Milwaukee RiverWalk

3.1 mi
State: WI
Concrete

Moraine Hills State Park Trail

11.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

New Berlin Recreation Trail

7 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

North Branch Trail

25.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

North Central DuPage Regional Trail

11.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

North Shore Channel Trail

8.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt

Northerly Island Trail

1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Oak Leaf Trail (Route of the Badger)

123.6 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Palatine Trail

9.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Pike River Pathway

6.9 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Prairie Trail (IL)

26.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Salt Creek Trail (IL)

28.6 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips

Southern Dupage County Regional Trail

46 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Tall Grass Greenway Trail

3.83 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Timber Ridge Trail

1 mi
State: IL
Gravel

Tinley Creek Trail (North)

24 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Valley Line Trail

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Veterans Memorial Trail (IL)

2.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Virgil L. Gilman Trail

11.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Waterfall Glen

9.5 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Grass

White River State Trail (Route of the Badger)

19.7 mi
State: WI
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Buffalo Creek Trail (IL)

5.5 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Burnham Greenway

5.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Chain O' Lakes Bike Path

3.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Fermilab Trail

5.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Green Bay Trail

6.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail

79.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel

Lake Michigan Pathway (Route of the Badger)

14 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Long Prairie Trail

13.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

MRK Trail (Route of the Badger)

4.6 mi
State: WI
Crushed Stone

North Shore Bike Path

7.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Orland Park Bikeway

6.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Gravel

Poplar Creek Trail

9.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Powerline Trail (WI)

2.8 mi
State: WI
Asphalt

Randall Road Bike Trail

3.9 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Robert McClory Bike Path

25.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Seven Waters Bike Trail (Route of the Badger)

18.6 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel

Skokie Valley Trail (Lake County)

9.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Stone Mill Trail

1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Techny Trail

3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete

Union Pacific Recreation Path

1.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Waubonsie Trail

3.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

East Northbrook Trail

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

El Paseo

0.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Muskego Recreation Trail (Route of the Badger)

6.7 mi
State: WI
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Prospect Heights Bike Path

4.2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

WE Energies Trail (Route of the Badger)

2 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Gravel

Phyllis Harmon Path

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Ridgefield Trace

8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Oswego Prairie Trail

0.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Bull Valley Road Shared-Use Path

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Commonwealth Edison Bikeway

1.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Fort Hill Bike Path

2.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lies Road Trail

2.8 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Lily Cache Greenway

2.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Orchard Road Trail

4.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Palos Heights Bike Trail

2 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Prairie Crossing Bike Path

3.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Prairie Farms Trail

1.8 mi
State: WI
Crushed Stone, Dirt

Racine County Bike Trail (Route of the Badger)

1.4 mi
State: WI
Asphalt, Concrete

Stearns Road Bike Path

3.54 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Struckman Boulevard Bike Path

1.1 mi
State: IL
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The 312 RiverRun is a 1.1-mile biking and walking trail located on Chicago's northside along the North Branch of the Chicago River, nestled between Gordon Tech High School and Lane Tech High School....
IL 1.1 mi Asphalt
This bike path sits on the east side of Almond Road between Washington Street and Fairfield Lane in Gurnee. The 8-foot wide asphalt path is used by residents as a spot for exercise and recreation, but...
IL 1.5 mi Asphalt
The Bartlett Trail is a recreational trail in the Village of Bartlett, Du Page county. Though short, the trail is conveniently located as a space for exercise, while providing a safe route to school...
IL 1.23 mi Asphalt
Overview The Bloomingdale Trail, part of “The 606” park system, is a 3-mile, elevated rail trail on Chicago’s northwest side. Built on a former rail line, the trail sits 17 feet above four of the...
IL 2.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview    The Busse Woods Trail spans the Ned Brown Forest Preserve, a 3,700-acre natural space in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. The preserve—popularly just called Busse Woods—has a large...
IL 11.6 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Closure Notice: The trail is closed at the 127th Street bridge until the end of 2024. Overview The Cal-Sag Trail (also known as the Calumet-Sag Trail) runs for 13.7 miles and connects several...
IL 13.7 mi Asphalt
Overview Illinois’ Centennial Trail runs 13-miles through parts of three suburban counties from Willow Springs Road to Romeo Road/135th Street southwest of Chicago. About the Route The trail...
IL 13 mi Asphalt
Overview  The Chicago Lakefront Trail is aptly named; it spans 19 miles along the shore of Lake Michigan, going right through downtown Chicago to pass many cultural and tourist attractions...
IL 19 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The City of Franklin Hike and Bike Trail follows a corridor originally used by the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light, an interurban railroad in southeastern Wisconsin. The corridor was later acquired...
WI 1.5 mi Asphalt
The ComEd Greenway is an asphalt multiuse pathway running north-south through the village of Bollingbrook. The trail's name is an abbreviation of Commonwealth Edison, the name of the electric utility...
IL 2 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 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
Overview 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...
IL 56.1 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
The DuPage River Trail spans over 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 and...
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
Overview 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...
IL 45.7 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
Overview The western segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 18 miles of a former railway corridor through DeKalb and Kane counties, between Sycamore Forest Preserve in the City of...
IL 18 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Overview The eastern segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows almost 13 miles of an abandoned railway corridor through DuPage County, between Villa Park and West Chicago. About the...
IL 12.7 mi Crushed Stone
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
Accordion
In 1957, baseball legend Hank “The Hammer” Aaron led the Milwaukee Braves to the first of two consecutive World Series appearances and a championship over the usually dominant New York Yankees. In...
WI 15.2 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
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
Overview The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) was one of the nation’s first rail-trail conversions. The 58-mile trail consists of five connected trail segments with three main branches that converge...
IL 58.52 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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 KR Trail is a new addition to Kenosha County’s growing bike-ped network. The trail picks up where the Kenosha Pike Bike Trail leaves off, in Petrifying Springs Park. From the northwest corner of...
WI 1.5 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk
Overview The Kenosha County Bike Trail runs for nearly 8 miles in two sections separated by couple miles with the city of Kenosha. About the Route The northern segment runs between 1st St....
WI 7.9 mi Asphalt
Helping to forge a connection between the northern and southern segments of the Kenosha County Bike Trail, the Kenosha Pike Bike Trail also has plenty to offer in its own right, giving trail users a...
WI 6.95 mi Concrete
The Kuhn Road Trail starts on Lies Road, at Glenbard North High School and continues south along Kuhn Road, past single-family homes and Friendship Park. The trail officially ends at Barbara O'Rahilly...
IL 1.4 mi Asphalt
The 2.3-mile multiuse trail wraps around Lake Andrea in Pleasant Springs Park. The trail is an easy walk, run or ride around the lake, and is accessible for a wide range of users. It also helps users...
WI 2.3 mi Asphalt
Lake Arlington is an artificial lake and popular recreation area in Arlington Heights in Cook County. The park features amenities to interest visitors of all ages and it is a local favorite for family...
IL 2 mi Asphalt
As the name suggests, the Lake George trail travels along the north shore of Lake George, turning north at Calumet Ave/US 41 to skirt the east shore of Wolf Lake. From Lake George the trail also heads...
IN 3.1 mi Asphalt
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...
IL 1.3 mi Asphalt
The Major Taylor Trail is named after legendary African American cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor, who was one of the most celebrated bicycle racers of the late nineteenth century, setting several...
IL 7.6 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
The Milwaukee RiverWalk provides a pleasant way to get around Milwaukee from the Historic Third Ward, through downtown, and north to the Lower East Side. It also has easy connections to three other...
WI 3.1 mi Concrete
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
Overview The paved New Berlin Recreation Trail runs straight as an east-west compass bearing for 7 miles through the western Milwaukee suburbs, from New Berlin to Waukesha. While it is void of...
WI 7 mi Asphalt
Overview The North Branch Trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River for 25.5 miles through Cook County. The trail was originally a dirt path often used for horseback riding; though it’s...
IL 25.5 mi Asphalt
The North Central DuPage Regional Trail stretches 11.6 miles in four segments between the communities of Wayne in the west and Roselle in the east. This paved, multiuse trail provides residents and...
IL 11.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
Overview The North Shore Channel Trail extends 8.3 miles from the junction of Green Bay Road and McCormick Boulevard in northern Evanston to the junction of Lawrence Avenue and Francisco Avenue in...
IL 8.3 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt
Note: Erosion caused by surging waves off Lake Michigan has caused the trail to collapse in sections. The eastern half of the trail along Lake Michigan is closed indefinitely. See the Chicago Park...
IL 1 mi Asphalt, Concrete
Overview The Oak Leaf Trail is the jewel in the crown of Milwaukee County’s extensive trail system. The trail meanders for 123 miles in and around the city of Milwaukee on a changing terrain of...
WI 123.6 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 Pike River Pathway is a paved, multiuse trail that parallels the river after which its named through meadows, fields, woods, and residential areas in the Village of Mount Pleasant, WI.  From...
WI 6.9 mi Asphalt
Overview 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...
IL 26.4 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Closure Notice: Starting 05/01/2023 through 12/31/2026, there will be intermittent trail closures under the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) bridge, spanning from Ogden Ave to 31st St due to ongoing...
IL 28.6 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips
The Skokie Valley Trail in Cook County parallels active train tracks in the Village of Skokie, providing easy access to both the Oakton–Skokie and Dempster–Skokie stations on the CTA’s Yellow Line....
IL 2 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
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 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
The northern section of the Tinley Creek Trail is a series of color-coded connected loops and spurs that weave through several forest preserves in Cook County. The 24-mile trail system is paved,...
IL 24 mi Asphalt
Just 1 mile long, the Valley Line Trail—also known as the Sauganash Trail—extends between Bryn Mawr Avenue and Devon Avenue in the Chicago neighborhood of Sauganash. Two bridges allow for safe...
IL 1.1 mi Asphalt
Although just shy of three 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...
IL 2.7 mi Asphalt
Overview The Virgil L. Gilman Trail travels from quiet forest and prairie lands to bustling neighborhoods in just 11.3 miles, linking a woodsy community college campus with the eastern Chicago...
IL 11.3 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
Overview The trail system in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve makes a loop around the entire park and totals 9.5 miles. About the Route The Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve is geologically...
IL 9.5 mi Crushed Stone, Grass
Overview The White River State Trail is a 19.7-mile trail 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...
WI 19.7 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
Overview The Buffalo Creek Trail makes a 5.5-mile loop around the scenic Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve in Long Grove. The crushed-gravel trail provides access to facilities throughout the...
IL 5.5 mi Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Burnham Greenway is composed of two distinct portions that both run along a former railroad corridor between Chicago and Lansing, Illinois. There are plans to extend and connect these short...
IL 5.3 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 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 5.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Fox River Trail runs diagonally along its namesake waterway through Waukesha in southeastern Wisconsin (just outside of Milwaukee). A trailhead at the E.B. Shurts Environmental Education Center in...
WI 6 mi Asphalt
The 6.5-mile Green Bay Trail runs parallel to Chicago's Metra commuter rail line north of the Chicago city limits. Stretching through North Shore towns such as Kenilworth, Winnetka, Highland Park, and...
IL 6.5 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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 13.5-mile Lake Michigan Pathway keeps you in close touch with the sixth-largest freshwater lake in the world as it links rail-trails north and south of the port city of Racine. Along the way, the...
WI 14 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
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, Crushed Stone
Racine County's eastern edge is home to the MRK Trail, a rail-with-trail that extends north from the City of Racine to the Village of Caledonia. Because Racine County standardized its signs several...
WI 4.6 mi Crushed Stone
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 Orland Park Bikeway provides a great connector across the Chicago suburb of Orland Park. On its southern end, the trail begins at W 159th Street and winds its way through Centennial Park, which...
IL 6.7 mi Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Gravel
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
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
Stretching east-west through the City of Greenfield, the Powerline Trail is a new shared-use path that offers multiple recreation and transportation opportunities for locals and visitors alike. The...
WI 2.8 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
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
Overview The Robert McClory Bike Path runs the length of Lake County, knitting together a string of communities on the north shore of Chicago all the way to the Wisconsin border. In 1997, the trail...
IL 25.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The Root River Pathway uses a combination of off-road trail and on-road route to form a crescent around the City of Racine. The trail closely follows the bends of the Root River, making it a great...
WI 6.6 mi Asphalt
Overview The Seven Waters Bike Trail is a scenic corridor stretching more than 18 miles north–south between Burlington and Muskego Lake into Waukesha County. The trail was originally three trails,...
WI 18.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel
Overview The Skokie Valley Trail connects Highland Park in the south to the northern trailhead in Lake Bluff. The entire trail corridor is a rail-with-trail, paralleled by double tracks that sit...
IL 9.8 mi Asphalt
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
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 Union Pacific Recreation Path offers a short route through the Village of Lincolnwood's east side between Devon and Touhy avenues. Following the former Union Pacific Railroad, the rail-trail...
IL 1.2 mi Asphalt
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
Although short, the West Allis Cross Town Connector represents an important start to a future link between three trails in Milwaukee County. Currently, the trail begins at a junction with the New...
WI 0.9 mi Asphalt
The East Northbrook Trail is a 1-mile route through a wooded corridor adjacent to an out-of-service rail corridor in the Village of Northbrook. The trail provides access to residential neighborhoods,...
IL 1.1 mi Asphalt
El Paseo runs through the vibrant Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen, once home to a large Czech population but now the center of the Lower West Side’s Latino community. The neighborhood is filled with...
IL 0.1 mi Asphalt
Kinnickinnic River Trail (called the KK River Trail by locals) runs just over 2 miles in southern Milwaukee, following the river through a densely populated and industrial corridor. The trail links...
WI 2.3 mi Asphalt
The Muskego Recreation Trail follows a corridor originally used by the Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light, an interurban railroad in southeastern Wisconsin. The corridor was later acquired by...
WI 6.7 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Prospect Heights has very few sidewalks, so biking, inline skating or walking are moved to the streets or in the parks. Don't underestimate the Prospect Heights Bike Path which is over four miles of...
IL 4.2 mi Asphalt
The WE Energies Trail, so named because it uses a Wisconsin Energy Corporation utility corridor for much of its route, links Racine and Oak Creek in Racine and Milwaukee counties. Despite the presence...
WI 2 mi Asphalt, Gravel
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 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 Ridgefield Trace is a multi-use pathway that runs through suburban Crystal Lake, Illinois. The trail takes its name from the original Indian trace that once ran along the route of what is now...
IL 8 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 Bull Valley Road Shared-Use Path travels along the south side of Bull Valley Road in the city of McHenry, Illinois. The paved path is suitable for non-motorized uses including walking, jogging,...
IL 1.1 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
The Fort Hill Bike Path trail sits on the north side of Peterson Road/ County Road 20. The trail peels away from the Prairie Crossing Bike Path at Midlothian Road and extends west, passing industries...
IL 2.4 mi Asphalt
This shared-use path runs east-west through the village of Carol Stream in Du Page county. Sitting on the grassy north side of Lies Road between Fair Oaks Road and Gary Avenue, the path is used as an...
IL 2.8 mi Asphalt
The Lily Cache Greenway travels east-west across Bollingbrook, from the ComEd Greenway to the Plainfield border. The trail more or less follows the course of its namesake creek, and is characterized...
IL 2.5 mi Asphalt
Racine’s southeastern neighborhoods are home to the North Shore Trail, which extends south to the Racine–Kenosha county line. Because Racine County standardized its signs several years ago, you won't...
WI 3 mi Asphalt
Located in the west side of Illinois' second largest city, this flat, straight bike path sits on the side of Orchard Road. The trail passes by commercial, residential and natural areas, and crucially,...
IL 4.5 mi Asphalt
The Palos Heights Bike Trail offers a north-south route through residential and commercial areas on the west side of the community. It's also a key connector between two regionally important...
IL 2 mi Asphalt
The Prairie Crossing Bike Path is a hard surface trail connecting Mundelein to Grayslake in central Lake County, Illinois. The trail is perpendicular to the 30-plus-mile Millennium Trail, which it...
IL 3.7 mi Asphalt
With farmland to the east and the Des Plaines River Floodplain to the west, this picturesque trail is a relaxing adventure on two feet or on wheels. The crushed stone trail runs from Prairie Springs...
WI 1.8 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt
Helping to extend the excellent network of trails around the city of Racine deeper west into the heart of the county, the Racine County Bike Trail serves as a disconnected addition to the...
WI 1.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Racine-Sturtevant Trail runs for 3.5 miles from the western side of Racine to near the eastern edge of the Village of Sturtevant. The trail occupies an abandoned rail corridor for most of its...
WI 3.5 mi Asphalt
The Stearns Road Bike Path is a dedicated sidepath traveling from Hanover Park to the Bartlett, in the Chicago suburbs. The asphalt path sits on the north side of Greenbrook Boulevard/ Stearns Road,...
IL 3.54 mi Asphalt
The Struckman Boulevard Path is just over a mile long, stretching between Bartlett Road and State Route 59, (although the path narrows from the end of Sunset Park up to the end on SR 59). That said,...
IL 1.1 mi Asphalt

Recent Trail Reviews

Great Western Trail (DuPage)

great trail

November, 2024 by jcook1950_tl

trail is in great shape. from villa park westward it goes through residential areas with many road crossings with a bridge over the railroad/highway in lombard. but after that there are few crossings and a natural landscape.
although not shown on the trail map, there is now a trail connection just east of prince crossing road that goes north along the west branch of dupage river and fair oaks road which leads to the north central dupage regional trail at schick road.

Long Prairie Trail

Disappointed

October, 2024 by deetiffanylb

Like all rails to trails, a good connector for locals but for bike touring, tedious. Boring, straight, only a few peeks of rolling farm land to catch your eye, when it wasn't on the trail - immediately in front of you. Sections of the trail are in jaw-jarring condition. Beware: with leaf litter you can not see the periodic holes, non existent bridge transitions, broken asphalt...you get idea. Sad that some entity can not repair these hazards. We def would not continue west, beyond Poplar Grove. Our bodies can't take it!

Bloomingdale Trail (The 606)

606

October, 2024 by noxxid

Short trail especially for cyclists, more so a commuter trail. Expect a slow and someone densely populated ride, but excellent views of the neighborhoods.

Accordion

North Branch Trail

beautiful trail

October, 2024 by given.sandra

We just completed this paved trail. Absolutely beautiful! It’s whining and bikers, walkers, runners n dog walkers use this trail. We didn’t go fast and loved it.

Centennial Trail (IL)

This trail rides FAST!

October, 2024 by ericevan

I've had this trail on my to-do list for a few years and finally made my way down today. My perspective comes on an upper 70's-degree, bright sunny Saturday. I started at the west end, biked to the east end at Willow Springs, and did the full loop for about 25 miles.

This trail rides like a straight road that offers little resistance. Yes, there are bends and turns along the length of the trail, but there's not a single spot on this path that really slows you down. The trail is entirely asphalt and in some places, pure road. All bikes will find this trail user friendly, but road bikers especially love it. They were 90% of who were riding today. The asphalt itself is in great shape. Most of it appears to be newer, and the trail is nicely taken care of.

About the only drawbacks I saw: The trail becomes a road that shares space with semi's and other large trucks for about a mile. I didn't have any troubles back here, but when a truck drives by you're going to get some dirt kicked up into the air. Didn't care for that.

I parked at the west end which had a bathroom, signage and some seating. I didn't notice many benches along the path but a 3ft cement wall that resides in many places along the path would make for a good topping point for those who need a rest.

All in all this is a nice trail, especially if you're looking to go fast. In terms of site-seeing, I was a little surprised that you're siloed on this path and really don't see much of the surroundings while on the trail. Only a couple spots offer a view.

Happy trails.

Powerline Trail (WI)

New trail, is very smooth. Crossing streets is safe. Slight uphill grade west to east which makes return trip west easy!

October, 2024 by lagerke

New trail, is very smooth. Crossing streets is safe. Slight uphill grade west to east which makes return trip west easy!

Robert McClory Bike Path

Thoughts Of This Trail Getting Paved, And The Lack Of People Getting Caught Using Motorized Bikes!

September, 2024 by ij3175974

Good News! This Path Is Finally Going To Get Paved Soon, Between 2025 And 2026. I Can't Wait To See How This Path Turns Out, And I'm Ready For This Trail To Be Like The Kenosha County Bike Trail. I'm Glad They Are Doing This, Because I've Caught Several People Speeding On This Trail With Dirt Bikes, And I Think It's Annoying And Dangerous. The Signs Say No Equestrian, And Motorized Vehicles On The Trail, And People Don't Listen. Till This Day, People Still Ride These Motorized Vehicles On This Trail, Including The Waukegan Savanna Trail, Which Is Connected Right By The Trail Intersection In Beach Park, Right Next To The Lyons Woods Forest Preserve. Today, I Saw This One Person Speeding With A Dirt Bike On The Waukegan Savanna Trail, And I Was About To Film Him And Report Him To The Police. If I Catch More People Doing It, I Will Start Recording, And Reporting It To The Police, Because That Should Be Illegal. Overall, I Ride This Trail Often To Visit The Waukegan Airport, To Do A 10 Mile Round Trip Ride, Just Looking Forward To Seeing This Trail Paved, Hopefully In Spring 2025. Be Safe Guys!

Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail

Mostly Cow Paths

September, 2024 by ronbadger66

My wife & I rode two days from LaSalle toward Ottawa and from Ottawa to Marseilles on our recumbent etrikes. Had to turn around the first day before getting to Ottawa, as the trail became two narrow paths through the grass that were impassable for the trikes. The second day we had to lift our trikes over a fallen tree. There were no trail workers to be seen anywhere. That part of the trail rarely followed the canal, but instead wound through the woods on a cow path like trail. The 20 miles or so between LaSalle and Marseilles are not suitable for road bikes or recumbent trikes, but instead are only desirable for cross bikes or fat tire bikes preferably with electric assist.

Hank Aaron State Trail (Route of the Badger)

Nice easy trail

September, 2024 by joenad55

Ran parts of this trail recently. Easy paved trail through wooded area. Some shade in early morning hours.

Prairie Trail (IL)

Water fountain removed

September, 2024 by elissasteglich

The water fountain noted on the map at Hillside Rd no longer exists. Looks like it was taken out.

Oak Leaf Trail (Route of the Badger)

Great trail!

September, 2024 by nadia.rasberry01

Well maintained trail, no garbage or anything on the path! Was great for walking with a stroller there was one roughest patch we hit but that was it. Amazing views and a nice breeze from the water. Very active trail, pretty busy area.

New Berlin Recreation Trail

Great for strollers!

September, 2024 by nadia.rasberry01

This trail is beautiful, it’s very smooth and works great for if you have a kiddo in a stroller! Lots of wildlife, we saw birds, bunny’s, squirrels, chipmunks, and 2 foxes!

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Accordion

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