Find the top rated birding trails in Illinois, 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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| 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 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 vision for a trail along Cedar Creek was borne in the 1940s’, thanks to the man who would eventually lend his name to the project. Bill Klingner worked with the Quincy Park District and the...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 11.6 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 13.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 13 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 19 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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North of the Sangamon River crossing, the Conservation District Trail closely follows Stevens Creek through a flat and dense wetlands forest on the west end of Decatur. South of the river, the trail...
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IL | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
The sprawling Constitution Trail and Historic Rte. 66 Trail covers over 53 miles throughout the Bloomington-Normal area. The trail was officially named and dedicated in 1987 in celebration...
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IL | 50.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 5.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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, you'll pass a mixture of residential...
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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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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...
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IL | 56.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 33.1 mi | Asphalt |
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The City of Eldorado Bicycle and Walking Path is an excellent example of trails as linear parks. The City of Eldorado and the Eldorado Garden Study Club both work to keep the landscaped trailway and...
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IL | 2.2 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The Fairview Park Trail, in western Decatur, traverses the large and beautiful Fairview Park and connects (via roadway) to the park's various attractions: an aquatic center, lake, gardens, pavilions,...
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IL | 1.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 45.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The GM&O Heritage Trail maintains the legacy of the railroad that once ran through the municipality of Columbia. The right-of-way was first built by the Cairo & St. Louis Railroad, which by another...
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IL | 1.7 mi | Asphalt |
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The Galena River Trail is built upon an old railroad spur of the Burlington Railroad main line, constructed in 1886. The spur linked Galena to Galena Junction, where the main railroad line—still...
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IL | 8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The George Rogers Clark Discovery Trail has a name from the history books, and it runs entirely through Fort Massac State Park—Illinois’ first State Park, now over 100 years old—with its recreated...
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IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Government Bridge is both an engineering marvel and a significant part of US history. The predecessor to the present-day bridge was the first bridge built across the Mississippi River. Three...
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IA, IL | 0.3 mi | Asphalt, Metal |
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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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Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
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DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY | 3743.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 18 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 12.7 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The backbone of the Greenbelt Bikeway runs north–south along Copper Slough, passing through two large city parks divided by W. Bradley Avenue. In Dodds Park to the north, there is a spur west through...
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IL | 1.7 mi | Concrete |
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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 Harold E. Ruppel sits in a perfect location to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and non-motorized transportation for residents of Savoy Village, in the Champaign-Urbana metro area. It...
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IL | 1.8 mi | Asphalt |
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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 Heritage Route 66 Bike Trail is a 4.4-mile multi-use trail connecting the two villages of Williamsville and Sherman. The 10-foot-wide trail provides safe access and non-motorized access for...
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IL | 4.4 mi | Asphalt |
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The Hickory Creek Bikeway offers nearly 4 miles of paved pathway through a wooded preserve. On its western end, the trail begins at Hickory Creek Barrens Nature Preserve and Lincolnway Road; on the...
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IL | 3.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 58.52 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The paved Interurban Trail provides 8.4 miles of suburban and rural scenery for users between Chatham and Springfield. It follows the former route of the electrified Illinois Terminal Railroad...
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IL | 8.4 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
The Jane Addams Trail runs for 18.9 miles between Orangeville and Freeport, following a rail line that the Illinois Central built in 1887 between Freeport, Illinois, and Madison,...
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IL | 18.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 8.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Kankakee River Trail is fairly wooded and runs primarily through Kankakee River State Park. Walkers, bicyclists, and cross-country skiers can enjoy more than ten miles of trail along the north...
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IL | 10.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The first 6.7-mile section of the Kickapoo Rail Trail in eastern Illinois opened in August 2017. Paralleling U.S. 150, the Champaign County rail-trail runs from Urbana east to St. Joseph along the...
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IL | 9.7 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Kishwaukee River Recreation Path runs for 2.5 miles in Cherry Valley on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. The well-maintained, asphalt trail connects the Kishwaukee River Forest...
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IL | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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 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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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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This trail through the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve shows off Central Illinois' great natural beauty. Starting from the west, the trail meanders through a wonderfully restored prairie. It passes...
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IL | 3.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Lincoln Park Trail runs along the wooded north banks of the Sangamon River. It's mostly flat with a few low hills. Visible from the trail are Decatur's Lincoln Park, some classic old neighborhoods...
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IL | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail runs 12 miles, much of the way along an old railroad right-of-way between County Highway 2 east of Charleston and the ball fields at 10th Street in Mattoon; an...
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IL | 12.9 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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The Lost Bridge Trail, jointly managed by the Springfield Park District and the village of Rochester, is one of the area's earliest and most popular multiuse trails-even for locals taking a weekday...
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IL | 5.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Lowell Parkway Trail runs through the charming town of Dixon, Illinois, boyhood home of Ronald Reagan. The trail occupies the rail bed of the old Illinois Central Railroad, between Lowell Park and...
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IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Madison County Transit (MCT) Goshen Trail is a namesake of the old Goshen Road that was built in 1808 to supply salt to the first permanent settlers of Madison County. The modern bike trail...
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IL | 19.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nature Trail goes through richly varied surroundings of city, farm and wood. In the west, it begins at beautiful Wilson Park in Granite City. From there, it makes its...
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IL | 14.4 mi | Asphalt |
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The Madison County Transit (MCT) Nickel Plate Trail is the longest of the county’s trails and perhaps the most diverse in its offerings. On the west, it begins at a junction with the MCT Nature Trail,...
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IL | 28.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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You can make connections all over the countryside from the Madison County Transit (MCT) Ronald J. Foster Heritage Trail. The paved path travels 12.2 miles between the villages of Glen Carbon and...
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IL | 12.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Madison County Transit (MCT) Schoolhouse Trail offers a 15.5-mile flat, paved route through the eastern suburbs of greater St. Louis, Missouri, between Madison and Maryville, Illinois. Along the...
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IL | 15.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Madison Count Transit (MCT) Watershed Trail is all about trains, bridges and waterways. It follows an abandoned rail corridor built in 1868, the first to serve the city of Edwardsville, itself the...
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IL | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Mahomet Village Bike Trail is a safe, paved route that connects all the major parts of the village.
On the north, there are the various and popular facilities of the Lake of the Woods Forest...
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IL | 4 mi | Concrete |
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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...
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IL | 7.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The McKinley Bridge has a long and storied past. In 1910, it opened to both railroad and vehicular traffic. Railroad tracks ran through the strong center portion of the bridge under the trusses, and...
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IL, MO | 1.2 mi | Concrete |
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The Mel Anderson Memorial Path, named for a long-serving alderman of the Seventh Ward, stretches nearly 3 miles, connecting Lockwood Park, Searls Park, Bressler Park and Talcott-Page Park. Mid-way,...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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This trail gets its name from the MetroLink Red Line train track it parallels through eastern Belleville and (briefly) the village of Swansea. It is a classic rail-with-trail configuration, where...
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IL | 14 mi | Asphalt |
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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 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...
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IL | 30.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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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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...
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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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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...
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IL | 8.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt |
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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...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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Overview
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge links two states–Illinois and Missouri—as the mile-long bridge crosses the Mississippi River. The bridge carries bikes and pedestrians between the two...
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IL, MO | 1 mi | Concrete |
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Overview
Running between the suburbs of Chicago Heights and Joliet, the Old Plank Road Trail runs for 21.6 miles and offers views of oak trees and sugar maples, prairie grasses, and wildflowers...
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IL | 21.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Orland Grassland trail is a perfect escape from the Chicago suburbs. The grassland itself is an Illinois Nature Preserve, and has been restored from farmland and now boasts 750 acres of...
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IL | 8 mi | Asphalt |
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The Ottawa Riverwalk runs directly beside the beautiful Fox River, just north of its confluence with the larger Illinois River. It's a tranquil walkway with river views along its entire length.
To...
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IL | 0.9 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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The Pennsy Greenway stretches between Calumet City, Illinois, and Schererville, Indiana. The trail begins at the southern end of the Burnham Greenway on the eastern edge of the Forest Preserve...
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IL, IN | 14.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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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 Rend Lake Bike Trail, in the heart of southern Illinois, goes around nearly half of the second-largest man-made lake in the state. Along the way, trail-goers will enjoy picturesque views of the...
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IL | 20.6 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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Running from East Peoria to Morton, The River Trail of Illinois was resurfaced in summer 2011. From East Peoria, the hiking and biking trail travels southeast along the old Illinois Terminal Railway...
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IL | 9 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
The Rock Island Trail has two distinct sections. Its southern half (sometimes referred to as the Kellar Branch Trail or as the Rock Island Greenway) stretches from Peoria's riverfront to...
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IL | 38.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The paved Rock River Recreation Trail winds throughout downtown Rockford and environs, following the east bank of the Rock River through Shorewood Park and Martin Memorial Park. Officially, the trail...
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IL | 10 mi | Asphalt |
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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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Leave the cars at home: the Route 30 Bike Path gives users an alternative way to travel from the Village of Frankfort in the east, through Mokena to New Lenox in the west, a distance of over 7.5...
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IL | 7.6 mi | Asphalt |
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Completed in 2020, the Saint Clair County Transit District's Orchard Loop Trail is a gorgeous, smooth asphalt pathway that traverses the rolling hills on the suburban outskirts of Belleville. The...
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IL | 4 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 28.6 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips |
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The first 5.5-mile segment of the 38-mile Sangamon Valley Trail opened in summer 2011 and runs between Centennial Park and Stuart Park in Springfield.
In 2017, a 6-mile extension was opened between...
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IL | 11.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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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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...
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IL | 46 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Stevens Creek Bikeway follows a scenic stream for 4 miles through neighborhoods and woodlands, connecting two parks (one at each end of the trail) on the western side of Decatur in central...
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IL | 4 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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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...
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IL | 3.83 mi | Asphalt |
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The Thorn Creek Trail offers a paved route traversing woodlands abundant with wildlife through several communities on the southern outskirts of Chicago. The trail travels from Brownwell Woods in...
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IL | 17.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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,...
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IL | 1 mi | Gravel |
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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,...
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IL | 24 mi | Asphalt |
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The Tinley Creek Trail is currently in two segments. This southern segment is within the South Green Belt Forest Preserve between Flossmor and Matteson, just west of I-57. The trail traverses wooded...
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IL | 3.6 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
With a dark railroad tunnel and two dozen trestles crossing streams and rocky ravines, the scenic Tunnel Hill State Trail travels 55 miles through forests, wetlands, farmlands and towns...
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IL | 55.2 mi | Boardwalk, Concrete, 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 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...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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This is a story of four trails in one. The newest and northwestern section of the trail runs by the old downtown area of the village and its local Amtrak station. Then across the northern section...
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IL | 7.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 11.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The Wabash Trail is the epitome of an urban rail-trail link. It's straight and flat. It has bridges over its only intersecting roadways. Just keep moving and enjoy. The trail connects city...
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IL | 2.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 9.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Grass |
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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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Opened in the Fall of 2012, Arches Rail Trail continues to be improved by an active local support group. It lies between Butler and Hillsboro, Illinois, along a section of an old 1850s route that...
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IL | 2.2 mi | Dirt, Grass |
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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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This off-road trail parallels the Beacon Harbor Parkway in East Moline as it gradually winds north towards the Mississippi River. The trail begins on 7th Street and cuts through a lush wetland where...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 5.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 5.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Carlyle Lake Bike Trail is located in one of Southwest Illinois's most popular recreational areas, just 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri—not far from that area's abundance of great trails, as...
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IL | 10.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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 DeKalb Nature Trail provides a pleasant, tree-lined route in northern DeKalb. Near its western trailhead, it crosses the Kishwaukee River and passes through the Nehring Forest Preserve. Further...
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IL | 1.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Delyte W. Morris Trail lies entirely on the campus of Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (SIUE). It is named for the university's president at the Carbondale campus in the 1960s who helped...
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IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
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Monticello is a small, central Illinois town steeped in a railroad history it still celebrates. Its Chamber of Commerce has offices and special activities in the historic downtown Train Depot. And it...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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The first portion of the TREC (Trail Recreation Effingham County) system, totaling approximately 3 miles, is complete, although eventually 30 miles of county-wide bicycling and walking trails will be...
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IL | 3 mi | Concrete |
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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 Four Sisters Bike Path forms a horseshoe around the northern end of Rochelle, a small city south of Rockford in northern Illinois. The path connects several schools and parks, and the city has...
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IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The General Dacey Trail, which first opened in 2006, is a beautiful and richly varied trail located between the city of Shelbyville to the west and large Lake Shelbyville to the east. Its surface is...
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IL | 6 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
The Great River Trail is a breathtaking journey along more than 60 miles of the Mississippi River in northern Illinois. In places, the paved trail follows the former spur route of the...
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IL | 63.3 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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Dedicated on August 5, 2000, the Green Diamond Rail-Trail was the first bicycling/pedestrian trail in Montgomery County. Partially funded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the trail is...
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IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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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Overview
The Hennepin Canal State Trail stretches for 93 miles in northwest Illinois along an old canal towpath. The trail is administered as a State Park by the Illinois Department of Natural...
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IL | 93 mi | Asphalt, Grass, Gravel |
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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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The Illini Trail (formerly known as the Hesse Trail) connects two neighborhoods and a park in the city of O'Fallon.
It is a short, completely tree-covered rail-trail, well used by local residents....
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IL | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
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...
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IL | 79.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel |
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The Joliet Junction Trail is a paved path that travels north–south through the west side of Joliet. It occupies an abandoned Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway corridor that in its last years was known...
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IL | 4.3 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 Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail winds through the northern Illinois town of DeKalb, coursing along a river, through woodlands, among open spaces through parks and through suburban back yards. The trail...
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IL | 4.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Closure Notice: About a half-mile from the trail's western endpoint in Taylorville, the bridge over Flat Branch Creek is closed. There is no expected endpoint for this closure, see the Lincoln Prairie...
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IL | 14.6 mi | Asphalt |
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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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The MCT Bluff Trail is the shortest trail in the Madison County network, but it highlights a feature of regional topography which can be evidenced on several other trails. The American Bottom is a...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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The MCT Quercus Grove Trail begins in Edwardsville at its junction with the MCT Nickel Plate Trail. It begins on city sidewalks and alleys near Edwardsville's historic downtown area and very quickly...
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IL | 18.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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. The trail is one of dozens in the Chicagoland area, all of...
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IL | 7.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk, Concrete, Gravel |
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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 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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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 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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This trail along Richland Creek is in two discontiguous sections that must be accessed separately. The northern section goes by the thick and quiet woods of Centennial Park, where there are also very...
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IL | 3.8 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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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...
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IL | 25.4 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The popular Rock Run Greenway Trail is a balanced mix of natural areas and cityscapes that alternate over the length of the trail. The natural areas are frequented by recreational users. The...
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IL | 12.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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The paved trail running through Nick Saelens Memorial Park is a pretty one, with a loop around a small pond and much of it following a tree-lined creek. The park is nestled in the Village of Durand in...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
Paralleling the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers along the border between Illinois and Mississippi, the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail (also known as the Sam Vadalabene Great River Road Bike...
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IL | 20.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Monticello is a small, central Illinois town steeped in a railroad history it still celebrates. Its Chamber of Commerce has offices and special activities in the historical downtown train depot. And...
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IL | 1.2 mi | Concrete, Gravel |
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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...
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IL | 9.8 mi | Asphalt |
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This is a newly constructed path that runs between S. Main Street and the Rock River in Rockford. It was built as part of the re-building of S. Main Street and runs from South Park south to the...
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IL | 2.25 mi | Asphalt |
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The Spring Creek Greenway Trail, separated into distinct eastern and western portions of the trail, spans 8.45 miles throughout two distinct sections of preserved and protected lands.
At its...
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IL | 8.45 mi | Boardwalk, Crushed Stone |
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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 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...
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IL | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
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In just a few short miles, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail leaves the urban confines of Joliet to bask in open farmland and reclaimed tallgrass prairie where the bison roam again. Named for a glacial lake...
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IL | 22.3 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Benld-Gillespie Bike Trail is part of two developing Illinois initiatives: the Route 66 Trail from Chicago to St. Louis, loosely following the historic highway; and the Illinois Traction System...
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IL | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
Blackberry Trail follows a stretch of Blackberry Creek in Montgomery, Illinois for 1.7 miles. The trail is best accessible from the forest preserve entrance at Caliendo Circle.
About...
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IL | 1.7 mi | Asphalt |
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This trail is an extension of the Lost Bridge Trail that goes from Springfield to Rochester. From its western terminus, the first half mile is a heavily wooded section of urban rail-trail. It has a...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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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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...
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IL | 0.1 mi | Asphalt |
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The El Paso Walking Trail runs along part of an old railroad right-of-way through the town of El Paso, beginning at the city park on the south side of town and ending at a creek north of town among...
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IL | 2.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Equality to Glen O. Jones Lake Bike Trail traverses an area where salt mining figured much in its early history. So did the Ohio River, which lies just 12 miles to the east, down the Saline River....
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IL | 5.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Grove Road Trail parallels the local thoroughfare in the Village of Oswego, located near the southwestern edge of the Chicagoland metropolitan area.
In the north, the trail begins on the east...
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IL | 3 mi | Asphalt |
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In southeastern Rockford, a paved pathway begins at a connection with the Charles Street Community Path then heads south along Mulford Road through a residential area. At Harrison Avenue, the path...
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IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The Joe Stengel Trail follows an old railroad corridor for 7 miles between the town of Polo and the much smaller community of Woosung. The trail corridor traces farm country along a route scattered...
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IL | 7.9 mi | Ballast, Grass, Gravel |
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Except for short-distance walkers, the principal attraction of the Kiwanis Park/West Side Trail is its connection to the other parts of Decatur's trail system. From its western terminus, one can...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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Lake Renwick Preserve is home to an artificial lake of the same name that was created from former quarries where aggregates for concrete were once mined. Today, the lake is a recreational amenity in...
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IL | 3.35 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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Bring your camera to the MCT Confluence Trail. Part of Illinois' Madison County Transit (MCT) bikeways network, this trail is a photographic patchwork of rivers, bridges, waterfront wildlife and...
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IL | 18.7 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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The Metro-East Levee Trail offers a semicircle route around Cahokia, which lies south of St. Louis and east of the Mississippi River. It parallels a canal and sits atop a levee that is 30 feet high at...
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IL | 7.6 mi | Gravel |
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O'Malley's Alley is a paved, half-mile trail through a residential area south of Kaufman Lake on the western end of Champaign. On Kenwood Road (at the eastern end of the trail), you can head south on...
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IL | 0.5 mi | Concrete |
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The Pecatonica Prairie Trail, formerly known as the Pecatonica Prairie Path, is a 14.3-mile rail-trail extending from the western edge of Rockford to N. Farwell Bridge Road west of Pecatonica. The...
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IL | 14.3 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The Pekin Park Bike Trail traverses more than 4 miles between Allentown Road and the Illinois River at Pekin bridge. The trail does a loop in Coal Miners' Park and passes through Mineral Springs Park,...
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IL | 4.3 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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Swanson Park Recreation Path is sometimes known as the Cherry Valley Path as it's located in the Village of Cherry Valley on the outskirts of Rockford in northern Illinois. The paved path travels...
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IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
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Caution: While construction continues on the new I-270 bridge over the Mississippi River, be alert for trail restrictions or closings north of the parking lot access. The trail will remain open from...
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IL | 7.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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 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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Oregon Park East Bike Path is nestled along the east bank of the Rock River in the small town of Oregon in northern Illinois. The 23-acre park offers athletic facilities, restrooms, grills, and picnic...
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IL | 0.25 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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 trail is a popular local recreation spot. The trail first winds through the Bethalto Arboretum, about a half-mile, shaded stroll through stands of oak, maple and over 80 other tree species. The...
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IL | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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 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...
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IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
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This paved path, also known as the Wood River Township Multi-Use Trail, runs along a former railroad corridor between the communities of Cottage Hills and Rosewood Heights. The trail heads east from S...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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The Fort Beggs Bike Trail (North) is a nearly mile-and-a-half long trail in Plainfield, Illinois. The trail shares the electric utility right-of-way, stretching from Fort Beggs Drive south to Spring...
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IL | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
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The city of Joliet saw its electric utility corridors as a recreational opportunity. One such trail is the Fort Beggs Bike Trail, which starts on Theodore Street and heads northwest in the shadow of...
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IL | 2.1 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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This multi-use path is actually a small segment of the Grand Illinois Trail network, a 535-mile loop trail that runs along the northern border of Illinois from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi and...
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IL | 2.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The Great Divide Trail sits is a one mile non-motorized trail through a negihborhood at the northern tip of Joliet, Illinois. The paved trail, which sits in the shadow of electric transmission lines,...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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A separate path for biking and walking on the I-74 bridge over the Mississippi. There's an easy connection to the Great River Trail on the Illinois side and a poorly marked short road connection to...
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IA, IL | 1 mi | Concrete |
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At just under a mile in length, Leland Grove's trail is the kind of space people go to for a quick workout or simply a breath of fresh air. The tree-lined trail parallels Outer Park Drive from Bates...
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IL | 0.8 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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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...
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IL | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The trail user can be transported from the bustling Westwood Fitness and Sports Center to a beautiful wooded trail that offers Elkhorn Creek on the far outer loop of the trail, a shelter at the top of...
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IL | 3.7 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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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,...
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IL | 4.5 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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Overview
The Plum Creek Greenway Trail meanders for 3.15 miles through the Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, with an unconnected 1-mile section in Plum Valley Preserve.
About the Route
The Plum...
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IL | 4.15 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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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The Prairie Point Trail is a scenic neighborhood route that connects twice to the longer Grove Road Trail. While never far from houses, the trail offers surprising scenery, including a stretch along a...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Preservation Path is a two-mile paved trail in the community of Matteson, Illinois. The path begins on Vollmer Road and terminates at the Old Plank Road Trail. The trail is paved with center...
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IL | 2.1 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. It begins at Settler's Park,...
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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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Th St. Ellen is a mile-long paved recreational trail in O'Fallon, Illinois. The trail connects residents of the nearby neighborhoods to local schools as well as the St. Ellen Mine Park, a former coal...
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IL | 1 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 Sterling Multi-Activity Recreational Trail starts at one end at the edge of the Hoover Park parking lot and heads into a scenic wooded trail crossing a wooden bridge over Woodlawn Creek and...
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IL | 2 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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Named for the former Baltimore & Ohio (CSX) railroad bridge it passes under, the Trestle Trail provides a quiet short passage through the woods along Little Silver Creek on southeastern edge of the...
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IL | 0.3 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The Veteran's Honor Trail is an asphalt trail that forms an incomplete ring around the community of Highland, Madison County. The paved trail provides a safe and enjoyable walking and biking route...
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IL | 5.1 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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Rode late September right before official hunting season. Not a lot of people on it. But to be safe, we carried blaze orange. parked at Wes Block trailhead as the long road out from Freeport is just bad trail riding next to an interstate. Trail is dirt, with some repairs and gravel. Rode up to the state line and the Badger Trail out and back. There were some beautiful spots, but also some lone wolves walking the trail looking sketchy and a hunter on an ATV at twilight. If you wanted to do an overnighter up to Madison and back the next day, you could park at the hotel right near the WB trailhead. Not sure I would do this trail again though as it was a long drive for a day ride from the suburbs.
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.
rode the trail on 11/2/2024 roundtrip from manhattan road (mile 7) to the kankakee river (mile 22) . it was in good shape almost the whole length and without loose gravel anywhere.
Have ridden this trail multiple times over the past couple of years. Generally ride from the trailhead by Hwy 20 to Orangeville. Trail is well maintained and generally flat, and fairly empty of people, a few joggers on the South end. As with all the limestone trails, there's a few holes here and there from the local furry creatures. Pit toilets at Hwy 20 & Orangeville, a portolet at Red Oak. There's a BP gas station right across from the pavilion in Orangeville. Specific highlights are the old buildings from the railroad in Scioto Mills, and saw sand cranes inhabiting the wetlands south of Orangeville.
Rode our hybrids from Freeport Public Library to trail and followed it to the state line. Found it to be well maintained, flat and very little bike traffic. We biked on a Friday morning. FYI the library has paper maps of the trail.
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!
We started in Akron and rode about 18 miles north. Loved it!!!
My first trail ride from near the Vermilion County Fairground to the west edge of Oakwood. Very nice ride. Nice scenery along the route. I only wish it was completed so I could go all the way to Urbana.
Rode from the western trailhead to Vienna. Beautiful scenery. Trail in good shape. A few minor rough patches where larger gravel used as patches, but not anything to get in the way. Beautiful foliage and flowers were out.
Short trail especially for cyclists, more so a commuter trail. Expect a slow and someone densely populated ride, but excellent views of the neighborhoods.
Just love this trail. It was a beautiful fall day. Trail is very clearly marked. We appreciated the wide asphalt path. The bridges gave us some great views, you go from the sunny corn fields to the shaded tree covered areas. This is a trail that we will return to ride again.
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