Find the top rated hiking trails in Salem, whether you're looking for an easy short hiking trail or a long hiking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a hiking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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| Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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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....
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The City of Waukesha has developed a number of connector trails to link popular trails and create continuous routes through the city. A number of longer, popular trails—such as the Glacial Drumlin...
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WI | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.23 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.25 mi | Asphalt |
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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 city’s...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Brown Deer Recreational Trail runs through the Village of Brown Deer, a suburb of Milwaukee. The tree-line route parallels an active rail line through commercial and residential areas. Mid-way,...
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WI | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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Broad blue skies strung with white cloud wisps; gem-green fields harboring cattails and butterflies; canopied glens giving way to cavernous quarries. It's all part of the ride on the 17.42-mile...
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WI | 17.42 mi | Asphalt |
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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 meandrous lake...
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IL | 11.6 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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 throughout the...
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IL | 19 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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WI | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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, the trail passes a mixture of...
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IL | 6.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 56.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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The DuPage River Trail spans 49.3 miles across two counties: DuPage and Will. The trail is open in several disconnected segments mainly in parks and forest preserves beginning in Bartlett and...
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IL | 49.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 2 mi | Dirt |
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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 of...
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IL | 45.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The 53-mile Glacial Drumlin State Trail between Cottage Grove and Waukesha provides a glimpse into the past when glaciers bore down on southeastern Wisconsin in the last Ice Age. Those gigantic sheets...
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WI | 53.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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The Glacial River Trail provides bikers, pedestrians, and in-line skaters with a 55.8-mile off-road/on-road rural route winding through farmland, prairie, wetlands, and woodlands as it passes through...
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WI | 55.8 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 5.9 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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 Sycamore and...
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IL | 18 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 12.7 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Hank Aaron State Trail, which spans the breadth of Milwaukee County, begins at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee, where it overlooks Lake Michigan to the east and provides breathtaking views of...
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WI | 15.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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....
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IL | 6.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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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 at 300 S...
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IL | 58.52 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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WI | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk |
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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....
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WI | 7.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 6.95 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 6.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Kiwanis Bike Trail, named for the Kiwanis Club that spearheaded the effort to build the trail, parallels the western bank of the Rock River through the southern Wisconsin community of Janesville....
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WI | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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Meadowbrook Trail parallels Meadowbrook Road offering a useful and convenient off-road route through northwest Waukesha. It begins at a connection to Lake Country Recreation Trail, a 15-mile east-west...
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WI | 2.4 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 4.3 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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The Millennium Trail spans just over 30 miles in two disconnected segments. The trail goes through forest, farmland, and the suburban neighborhoods of Lake County with a range of surfaces, including...
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IL | 30.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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WI | 3.1 mi | Concrete |
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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....
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IL | 11.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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 trestles,...
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WI | 7 mi | Asphalt |
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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 now paved, an...
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IL | 25.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 11.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 8.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt |
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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...
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WI | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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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 flat rural...
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WI | 123.6 mi | Asphalt |
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If you’re going to visit the historical communities that lie just west of Lake Michigan, why not use the former route of the venerable interurban railroad? The Ozaukee Interurban Trail stretches the...
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WI | 30.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 9.6 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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Stretching from Janesville to Beloit, the Peace Trail offers a paved, tree-shaded route paralleling the Rock River and an active rail line. From its northern end in Janesville, the trail leaves off...
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WI | 12.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 6.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 9.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 26.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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The Rock River Parkway Trail in Janesville runs between Rockport Park and S. Jackson Street bridge on the north side of the river. Here, at the trail's eastern terminus, you can easily link to Spring...
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WI | 2.4 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Salt Creek Trail travels 28.6 miles between the Busse Woods Forest Preserve and the Brookfield Zoo. Along the way, it connects several beautiful county forest preserves and other woodland...
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IL | 30.4 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips |
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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....
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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Janesville's Spring Brook Trail provides an important non-motorized route to many of the city's popular recreational amenities. The pathway begins just off the eastern terminus of the Rock River...
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WI | 5.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 5.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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Although short, the West Allis Cross Town Connector represents an important start to a future link between three trails in Milwaukee County. The trail leaves from a junction with the New Berlin...
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WI | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The West Branch DuPage River Trail is a 26-mile regional trail that stretches between the North Central DuPage Regional Trail at its northern end and the DuPage River Trail at its southern end. The...
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IL | 26 mi | Gravel |
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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 section...
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WI | 19.7 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Beerline Trail, named after the corridor that was once used by freight trains transporting the ingredients for beer to some of Milwaukee’s famous breweries, runs for 3.7 miles through central...
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WI | 3.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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 park.
About the...
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IL | 5.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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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,...
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IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Cushing Park Road Recreational Trail begins on the western outskirts of Delafield, a small community about 30 miles west of Milwaukee. From Delafield's Main Street, the trail heads south,...
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WI | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 5.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Fox River Trail runs diagonally along its namesake waterway through Waukesha in southeastern Wisconsin (just outside of Milwaukee). The trail is part of the Route of the Badger, a Milwaukee-area...
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WI | 6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 6.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 1.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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....
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IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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The 16.2 mile Lake Country Trail runs from the western edge of Waukesha to Oconomowoc in Wisconsin’s Lake Country area. Most of the trail was built on a former Milwaukee-Watertown Interurban Railway...
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WI | 16.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 14 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 13.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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WI | 4.6 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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...
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WI | 7.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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.
About the Route
The trail is one of dozens in the...
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IL | 7.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 9.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 6 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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The Perryville Path runs nearly 15 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...
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IL | 14.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 4.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 4.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 0.63 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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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 was named...
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IL | 25.4 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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WI | 6.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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, locally...
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WI | 18.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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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 about 40 feet...
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IL | 9.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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....
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IL | 3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Union Pacific Trail, otherwise referred to as the Weber Spur Trail, offers a short route through the Village of Lincolnwood's east side between Devon and Touhy avenues.
About the...
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IL | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Lakefill is 74-acres of reclaimed earth, that juts out into Lake Michigan on Northwstern University's Evanston Campus.
About the Route
In addition to a one-mile asphalt path, the Lakefill is...
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IL | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 4.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 8 mi | Asphalt |
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This path runs along the north side of Highway 11 and south of the city of Janesville. The eastern end starts about 3/4 of a mile west of I-39 and runs all the way to S County Road D, crossing over...
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WI | 3.8 mi | Asphalt |
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The Swanson Park Recreation Path is sometimes known as the Cherry Valley Path because of its location in the Village of Cherry Valley on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. The paved path...
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IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 2 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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The 8.9-mile 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 Lake Geneva Bike...
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WI | 8.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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The southern Wisconsin City of Beloit, located near the Illinois border, boasts over 9 miles of multiuse trail along the Rock River. The river is the centerpiece of downtown, and a system of...
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WI | 9.2 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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....
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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,...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
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The Ice House Trail starts in the heart of Twin Lakes at the corner of East Main Street and Lake Avenue and extends 1.2 miles to Bassett Road. The trail runs through a wooded area and alongside...
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WI | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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....
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IL | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Midway Village Museum Loop is a 1.4-mile pathway around Guilford County Forest Preserve (6595 Guilford Rd, Rockford) and passes the Midway Village Museum (6799 Guilford Rd, Rockford). The trail...
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IL | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 3.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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WI | 1.8 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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WI | 1.4 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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WI | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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. The trail leaves in the west from...
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IL | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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IL | 3.54 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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....
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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Completed my final leg of this trail by riding from London to Cottage Grove today. Trail conditions were very good, however the bridges can use some maintenance. All have matting across them to assist in preventing flats, however watch your approach, there can be some serious bumps getting onto & off the bridges. Having ridden the entire trail now, eastern portion several times; it’s just my opinion that the western portion would be my recommendation. East of Douseman the trail is paved, however much of it is in need of maintenance to remedy cracks.
Scenic, very pleasant ride today. Farmland, lots of bridges, packed gravel so no surprises. Parked at the Elkhorn trailhead and biked to Burlington and back. Note: the DNR site says there's a bridge out, as of 9/27/26 - there are no bridges out. Really nice ride and great way to spend a 70 degree and sunny day in late September.
We rode the Fox River Trail over two days in September 2026. We did a short ride from St Charles to South Elgin and back one the first day, followed by a ride to Aurora and then on to part of the Illinois Prairie Path before returning to St Charles. The trail was in excellent shape and, for the most part, was well marked. We thought the scenery was better going south, with lots of water fowl, flowers and points of interest to enjoy. This trail lived up to its expectations.
I just rode from my Chicago home to Racine on the North Shore Channel, Green Bay, R McClory and Kenosha County trails. The McClory is newly paved and well signed from the Great Lakes Naval Station north to the state line. There are no facilities other than the occasional bench, and there are long stretches without any shade. Otherwise it is a terrific ride!
The trail starts unassumingly in a residential neighborhood to the north and winds its way through Carthage College before bursting out of a canopy of trees into a spectacular, unobstructive view of Lake Michigan. The trail hugs the coast and meanders through a series of gorgeous parks. Just when your senses have almost reached their limit, you find yourself riding along Harbor Park filled with an assortment of sculptures, museums, and marinas. The Park is electric!
This was the most enjoyable ride I have ever taken. I will be back!
There are two cautionary notes, however.
1. The city roads between Poerio Park West and upper Alford Park are in horrible condition. Maybe avoid this northern section altogether.
2. The trail that goes south from the 50th Street bridge as you enter the Harbor is actually a staircase. I missed it the first time, but realized it on my return. There is a very steep embankment with a thin bike path next to the stairs, if you want to risk it.
The 10-foot wide asphalt surface is still in good shape. The trail hugs the road at the north end, but eventually disappears behind suburban backyards under a wonderful canopy of trees. There are a few pesky road crossings, but not bad. The trail is short, but flat and easy to ride. This is a great connector to the Kenosha County Bike Trail or the Kenosha Pike Bike Trail.
I almost forgot to include this in my previous review:
If you do not like hills, DO NOT do either section of this trail.
Both the North and South sections used asphalt and crushed stone surfaces. Care must be taken when riding on the crushed stone. The trail is nearly 12 foot wide and it is neatly groomed, however, the stone is just loose enough to keep bicycle speeds down. The rider who tests their speed traveling downhill and around the blind curves will surely tumble. The age of the asphalt in both sections varies from "newer" to "desperately in need of repair." The southern section actually has a warning sign just south of Fairfield Park.
The last two miles of the northern section in Round Lake Beach is loaded with perpendicular cracks in the asphalt causing a jarring ride even at slow speeds.
One must be cautious at the street crossings although some of the busier roads have traffic lights with designated pedestrian cross walks. The signage was ok, but could have been better.
Except for the 2 miles of crushed stone from Sheridan Road in Highland Park to County Line Road in Ravinia, the entire trail surface it asphalt!
The first 11 miles of the trail from the Wisconsin border is newer asphalt; no cracks or bumps to worry about. Just a smooth ride. The northern section of the bike path, however, is plagued with several street crossings, all of which must be approached with caution. There is little to no shade on the northern section.
The southern section of the bike path has a lot more points of interest including various sculptures along the trail, Metra train stations, the Ravinia Festival grounds and interesting cities to explore. The southern section offers much more shade, but also has a few street crossings as well.
The trail does give way to the road in both sections, but the signage is good for the most part. There are new mile markers on the west side of the trail every 1/2 mile.
The surface of this 8-foot wide trail seems to be crushed stone over an older asphalt base. It is a little tougher to ride than the typical crushed gravel surface. There are some "soft" spots throughout the length of the route, but still manageable. The trail is relatively flat with an occasional grade change. The scenery is mostly suburban backyard with a touch of industrial to the west. There is very little shade to protect you from the sun, but the openness is refreshing. Although most street crossings have minimal traffic, please take caution when approaching them. This is one of my "go to" rides.
I accessed the Powerline Trail at Cold Spring Road off of the Oak Leaf Trail. My ride on the new trail was very enjoyable and I found the route to be very pleasant passing by a number of neighborhoods. Compliments to the City of Greenfield and We Energies for their efforts to build this trail.
The 8-foot wide asphalt trail is not in bad shape, but it does have manageable grass-filled cracks running perpendicular to the direction of travel in a few areas. Although there is a protective barrier, the entire length of the trail runs alongside a busy highway. There are a few street crossings with minimal traffic at best, but there are also two busy roads to cross. Fortunately, the intersections for these two crossings are controlled by traffic lights with pedestrian crossing signals. This ain't no rail trail, so the route has a few hills to master. On the plus side, the trail connects to the Peace Trail at the west end and the sides of the trail are nicely mowed.
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