Find the top rated geocaching trails in Illinois, whether you're looking for an easy short geocaching trail or a long geocaching trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a geocaching trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
| Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
|
|
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....
    |
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
|
|
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...
  |
IL | 2.2 mi | Dirt, Grass |
|
|
|
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...
|
IL | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
|
|
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...
 |
IL | 1.25 mi | Asphalt |
|
|
|
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...
|
IL | 1.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
_134498_st.jpg) |
The Bloomingdale Trail, part of “The 606” park system, is a 2.7-mile, elevated rail-trail on Chicago’s northwest side. Built on a former rail line, the trail sits nearly 20 feet above four of the...
|
IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Buffalo Creek Trail makes a loop around the scenic Buffalo Creek Forest Preserve in Long Grove. The crushed-gravel trail provides access to facilities throughout the park.
Along the way, you’ll...
|
IL | 3.2 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
    |
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Burnham Greenway is composed of two distinct portions that both run along a former railroad corridor between Chicago and Lansing, Illinois. There are plans to extend and connect these short...
|
IL | 5.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Busse Woods Trail system is located within Ned Brown Forest Preserve, a 3,700-acre property in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. There are 11.2 miles of paved trails for cyclists, equestrians...
   |
IL | 11.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Cal-Sag Trail (or, Calumet-Sag Trail) is currently under active construction. As of August 2015, it has a competed section of about 10 miles, stretching from near its eventual western terminus to...
|
IL | 10 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 10.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
_144368_st.jpg) |
Illinois’ Centennial Trail runs through parts of three suburban counties from Willow Springs Road to Romeo Road/135th Street southwest of Chicago. The trail occupies a thin strip of land between the...
|
IL | 13 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Chain O' Lakes Bike Path is a paved trail that runs between E. Grand Avenue in Fox Lake and Grant Woods Forest Preserve to the east. The trail parallels the railroad track and Rollins Road/CR 31,...
|
IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The 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...
|
IL | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Located east of Lakeshore Drive, the Chicago Lakefront Trail is an 18.5-mile linear park along Lake Michigan that includes beaches, volleyball courts, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and...
|
IL | 18.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Commonwealth Edison Bikeway is a short paved trail that occupies an overhead electric utility corridor owned by Commonwealth Edison, the local utility company—hence the trail's name. While lacking...
|
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Constitution Trail is so named because it was dedicated on the 200th birthday of the U.S. Constitution, September 17, 1987. The first and main north-south section of the trail was built along an...
|
IL | 36.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
This regional trail connects two of DuPage County's forest preserves—Herrick Lake and Danada—on a crushed stone pathway nearly 6 miles long. Together, the preserves cover more than 1,600 acres of...
|
IL | 5.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The 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...
|
IL | 1.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 6.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Deer Grove Trail is one of several great Chicagoland trails located in properties of the Forest Preserve of Cook County. Deer Grove is the oldest of all the Cook County preserves. It's comprised...
|
IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Des Plaines River Trail and Greenway traverses north–south along the route of its namesake river along its course through both Lake and Cook counties. The corridor protects 85% of the riverine...
  |
IL | 54.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The DuPage River Trail spans nearly 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...
|
IL | 29.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 7.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The East Northbrook Trail is a 1-mile route through a wooded corridor adjacent to an out-of-service rail corridor in the Village of Northbrook. The trail provides access to residential neighborhoods,...
|
IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
El Paseo runs through the vibrant Chicago neighborhood of Pilsen, once home to a large Czech population but now the center of the Lower West Side’s Latino community. The neighborhood is filled with...
|
IL | 0.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
_52188_st.jpg) |
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...
|
IL | 2.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.2 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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....
|
IL | 5.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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,...
|
IL | 1.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Fermilab Trail garners its name by running though the campus of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), the former home of the Tevatron particle accelerator. The 3.9-mile particle...
|
IL | 5.8 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
_138551_st.jpg) |
The Fox River Trail features 43 miles of spectacular biking, hiking and cross-country skiing along the scenic Fox River. The paved path can be challenging at times, but the extra pedal pushing is...
|
IL | 43 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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 linestill...
|
IL | 4.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
About an hour northwest of Chicago, the beautiful Grant Woods Forest Preserve spans more than 1,000 acres, offering an outdoor respite of prairie, woodlands and marshes. The crushed limestone pathway...
|
IL | 5.9 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The Great River Trail is a breathtaking journey along 60 miles of the Mississippi River. The route is a mixture of paved rail-trail, small-town sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes on the street and a...
|
IL | 60 mi | Asphalt |
|
_49791_st.jpg) |
The eastern segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 12 miles of an abandoned railway corridor through DuPage County, between Villa Park and West Chicago. There are plans to extend the...
|
IL | 12 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
_135428_st.jpg) |
The western segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 17 miles of an abandoned railway corridor through DeKalb and Kane counties, between LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve and the town of...
|
IL | 17 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The 9-mile Green Bay Trail runs parallel to Chicago's Metra commuter rail line north of the Chicago city limits. Stretching through North Shore towns such as Kenilworth, Winnetka, Highland Park and...
|
IL | 8.9 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 1.7 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The H.U.M. Trail (a.k.a. the Huntley-Union-Marengo Trail) was planned to link all three of its namesake northern Illinois towns, but so far only connects Marengo and Union.
Interestingly, the...
|
IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 1.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
Open to runners, walkers, bikers and equestrians, the rustic and rural Hebron Trail provides the perfect nature escape. The trail does include a very small section of road that crosses an active rail...
|
IL | 6.4 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
|
 |
The Hennepin Canal Parkway, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as a state park, follows an old towpath along a canal opened in 1907 and quickly abandoned due to competition...
|
IL | 104.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
Hesse Trail connects two neighborhoods and a park in the city of O'Fallon with plans to extend and connect it to other trails in the large Metro-East area. It is a short, completely tree-covered...
|
IL | 0.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Illinois & Michigan Canal provided the final link in the water route from the east coast to the Gulf of Mexico by connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River via the Illinois River. Today,...
|
IL | 77.4 mi | Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel |
|
 |
The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) is one of the country's first rail-trail conversions. It consists of five connected trail segments with three main branches that converge at Volunteer Park in Wheaton....
|
IL | 61 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
_45974_st.jpg) |
The paved Interurban Trail, which travels north more than 8 miles from Chatham to the Illinois state capital of Springfield along the old interurban electric rail line, provides a pleasant mix of...
|
IL | 8.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Stretching north from Freeport, Illinois, to the Wisconsin state line, the Jane Addams Trail is a natural wonder. Expect to see birds and wild animals-from exotic aerial hunters, such as owls and...
|
IL | 14.8 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 7.9 mi | Ballast, Grass, Gravel |
|
 |
The John Husar I&M Canal Trail is the northernmost trail developed on the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor. The Illinois & Michigan Canal provided the final link in the water route...
|
IL | 8.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The 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...
|
IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 10.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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....
|
IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Gravel |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 6.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 4.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 12.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The Lincoln Prairie Trail runs between County Road 12 at State Route 29 west of Pana and Paw Paw Street in Taylorville. The trail parallels SR 29 for nearly the entire route. Built upon an abandoned...
|
IL | 14.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Lincolnwood Valley Line Trail connects the existing Valley Line Trail (Sauganash Trail) to the Skokie Valley Trail in Cook County. Like the previous segments, this trail occupies a former Union...
|
IL | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Long Prairie Trail began life as a section of the Kenosha Division Rail Line in the 1850s, when most small communities in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin were serviced by the...
|
IL | 14.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 5.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Caution: Trail closures are occurring in two areas along the southern half of this trail: 1) near the construction site of the new I-270 bridge over the Mississippi River, and 2) at the construction...
|
IL | 18.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 8.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 14.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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,...
|
IL | 28.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 18.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The Glen Carbon Heritage Bike Trail is part of a trail network spanning more than 100 miles managed by Madison County Transit (MCT), which also runs busses equipped with bike racks for passenger...
|
IL | 11 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
|
 |
The Madison County Transit (MCT) Schoolhouse Trail is part of the Transit District's system of more than 100 miles of urban and suburban trails—many of which are former railroad corridors, all of...
|
IL | 15.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 5.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Mahomet Village Bike Trail offers a paved route paralleling East Oak Street/Route 150 on Mahomet's east side. The pathway begins at South East Street, just a block from Sangamon Elementary School,...
|
IL | 1.5 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
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....
|
IL | 1.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Major Taylor Trail is named after legendary African American cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor, who was one of the most celebrated bicycle racers of the late nineteenth century, setting several...
|
IL | 7.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL, MO | 1.2 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
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,...
|
IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 7.6 mi | Gravel |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 6.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve is a natural gem hidden in an high-income neighborhood of Lake Forest, Illinois. Those 600 acres are home to perhaps the best-preserved example of the rare...
|
IL | 4.3 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
|
 |
The Millennium Trail is a planned 35-mile route through Chicago’s northern suburbs that will connect communities and forest preserves in northwestern Lake County. Currently, 28.5 miles of this...
|
IL | 28.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Moraine Hills State Park Trail offers a wonderful experience for any geology or nature aficionado. A moraine is an accumulation of earth and stones carried and finally deposited by a glacier....
|
IL | 11.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The North Branch Riverwalk is a 0.6 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...
|
IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The beautiful North Branch Trail is named for the North Branch of the Chicago River, along which it winds. At its northern end, the trail begins at the south end of the Chicago Botanic Garden and...
|
IL | 23 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The North Shore Bike Path runs for nearly 8 miles between Lake Bluff and Mundelein, paralleling State Route 176 for the path's entire length. The trail is one of dozens in the Chicagoland area, all of...
|
IL | 7.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The North Shore Channel Trail extends from the junction of Green Bay Road and McCormick Boulevard in northern Evanston to the junction of Lawrence Avenue and Francisco Avenue in Chicago. All but the...
|
IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt |
|
 |
The Northerly Island Trail offers access to a vast, natural oasis in one of the largest cities in America. Chicago’s Northerly Island—actually a 91-acre peninsula—was designed by Daniel H. Burnham,...
|
IL | 1 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 0.5 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was part of the renowned Route 66 and crosses a scenic stretch of the Mississippi River. It links two states—Illinois and Missouri—north of St. Louis. The bridge is short...
|
IL, MO | 1 mi | Concrete |
|
 |
The 20-mile Old Plank Road Trail travels over the original Michigan Central Rail Road (MCRR) line, a railroad started about 1850 that ran from Lake Station in East Gary to Joliet. The rail was...
|
IL | 20.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 0.25 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Orland Park Bikeway provides a great connector across the Chicago suburb of Orland Park. On its southern end, the trail begins at W. 159th Street and winds its way through Centennial Park, which...
|
IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Oswego Prairie Trail is a short paved route that occupies an overhead electric utility corridor owned by Commonwealth Edison. The path forms a direct link between two parks in Oswego—Farmington...
|
IL | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Ottawa Riverwalk begins downtown and heads northeast along the Fox River. In addition to offering beautiful views of the waterway, there are also boat launches and fishing spots along the...
|
IL | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The village of Palatine has connected many of its community assets with two long sections of off-road, multi-use trail. The more popular northern section is the one most references call simply and...
|
IL | 9.6 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Palos Heights Bike Trail offers a north-south route through residential and commercial areas on the west side of the community. It's also a key connector between two regionally important...
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Paul Douglas and Crabtree Preserve Trail System connects two large nature preserves in northwestern Cook County.
The trail begins at the Old Stover Trailhead in the Crabtree Preserve, near the...
|
IL | 9.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Pecatonica Prairie Trail, formerly known as the Pecatonica Prairie Path, is a 12.5-mile rail-trail extending from the western edge of Rockford to the Winnebago–Stephenson county line west of...
|
IL | 12.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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,...
|
IL | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Pennsy Greenway is currently open in three segments between Calumet City, Illinois, and Schererville, Indiana. The northern portion begins at the southern end of the Burnham Greenway in Calumet...
|
IL, IN | 7.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Perryville Path runs nearly 7 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...
|
IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Although the Phyllis Harmon Path is short, it's an important connector in an east-west bike/ped route between Arlington Heights and Glencoe. Following Dundee Road, the paved trail goes from the Des...
|
IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Poplar Creek Trail is a 9.5-mile paved loop around Poplar Creek Forest Preserve near Hoffman Estates. The trail has a couple of hills but is otherwise level and makes for a pleasant journey...
|
IL | 9.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
_119089_st.jpg) |
The Prairie Trail—not to be confused with the Illinois Prairie Path—runs border-to-border, entirely within McHenry County, Illinois, and is managed by the McHenry County Conservation District. It is...
|
IL | 26.1 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
|
 |
Prospect Heights Bike Path runs between Woodland Trails Park and Country Garden Park, paralleling the commuter rail tracks on its northsouth leg. The trail provides a nice off-road route through the...
|
IL | 4.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Randall Road Bike Trail offers a 4-mile paved north-south route along its namesake roadway in a suburb west of Chicago. A highlight of the journey is the trail's passage through the LeRoy Oakes...
|
IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The 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...
|
IL | 20.6 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 3.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Ridgefield Trace currently consists of two short segments open for use. The western section runs from McHenry County College on US 14 in Crystal Lake to just west of N. Oak Street. Active railroad...
|
IL | 3 mi | Asphalt |
|
_76589_st.jpg) |
The 4.4-mile River Bend Trail is so named for the loop of Fox River along which it follows on its eastern end. It's here that you can connect to the scenic Fox River Trail to travel 43 miles along the...
|
IL | 4.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
_113267_st.jpg) |
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...
|
IL | 9 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
 |
IL | 0.63 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
|
 |
The Robert McClory Bike Path is notorious for its conglomeration of names over the years. At any given time—and depending on whom you ask—it has been called the Green Bay Trail and the North Shore...
|
IL | 26.5 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
_61419_st.jpg) |
Caution: As of Sept. 15, 2014: Due to severe storm washouts that occurred last summer, there are closed sections of the trail on its northern end between Toulon and Princeville. Check the state's DNR...
|
IL | 37.6 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 10 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 12.3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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,...
|
IL | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 0.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
_0_st.jpg) |
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...
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
|
_136547_st.jpg) |
The Salt Creek Trail travels nearly 27 miles from the Brookfield Zoo to Busse Woods Forest Preserve. Along the way it connects several beautiful county forest preserves and other woodland...
|
IL | 26.7 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips |
|
 |
Big bluffs, mighty rivers, the largest state park and one giant bird—you'll find them all along the Sam Vadalabene Great River Road Bike Trail. This unique rail-trail starts in the 8,050-acre Pere...
|
IL | 20.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
For just over a mile, the Sangamon River Trail in western Monticello follows the former route of the Illinois Central Railroad, which carried passengers from Chicago to New Orleans. The trail includes...
|
IL | 1.2 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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. When complete, the Sangamon Valley Trail will...
|
IL | 5.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
_144630_st.jpg) |
The Skokie Valley Trail in Cook County parallels active train tracks in the Village of Skokie, providing easy access to both the Oakton–Skokie and Dempster–Skokie stations on the CTA’s Yellow Line....
|
IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
|
_0_st.jpg) |
An excellent example of land use in greater Chicago, the entire Skokie Valley Trail corridor is a rail-with-trail, paralleled by double tracks that sit about 40 feet to the west of the trail surface....
|
IL | 9.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Southern Dupage County Regional Trail connects multiple of the larger forest preserves in Dupage county together. Starting near the intersection of 75th st and Ogden Ave in Aurora, the trail runs...
|
IL | 46 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The 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...
|
IL | 4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 5.8 mi | Crushed Stone |
|
 |
The Stone Mill Trail runs between Lawrence Road in Harvard and Maxon Road in Chemung. The 1.5-mile, paved trail mostly parallels County Highway 17 (Ramer Road) and active railroad tracks, and will...
|
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.4 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Tall Grass Greenway Trail is a trail that runs along the right of way for ComEd powerlines. The trail goes mainly through neighborhoods in south Naperville, and meets up with the south branch of...
|
IL | 3.83 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Techny Trail links downtown Glenview, a charming village northwest of Chicago, with the Techny Basin, a scenic wetlands area adjacent to the West Fork of the Chicago River's North Branch....
|
IL | 3 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
|
 |
The Thorn Creek Trail offers a paved 17-mile route traversing woodlands abundant with wildlife through several communities on the southern outskirts of Chicago. The trail travels from Brownwell Woods...
|
IL | 17.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
_122211_st.jpg) |
The Tinley Creek Trail is currently in two segments. This northern segment stretches from Palos Heights to Oak Forest and largely falls with several Cook County Forest Preserve areas, including Rubio...
|
IL | 18.8 mi | Asphalt |
|
_111257_st.jpg) |
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...
|
IL | 3.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Southern Illinois' Tunnel Hill State Trail is a gem of a route, with 23 trestle bridges (including one that is 450 feet long), several ghost towns, a beautiful park, a comfortable trailhead in Vienna...
|
IL | 55.6 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
Just 1 mile long, the Valley Line Trail—also known as the Sauganash Trail—extends between Bryn Mawr Avenue and Devon Avenue in the Chicago neighborhood of Sauganash. Two bridges allow for safe...
|
IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Although just shy of two 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 longer...
|
IL | 1.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
This is a story of three trails in one. The newest section of the trail is a beautifully landscaped rail-trail along the former alignment of the Fisher Farmers Railroad, which connected the north side...
|
IL | 8 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The Virgil Gilman Trail travels through forest and prairie, from a quiet, rural community college campus all the way into suburban Chicago. The trail's namesake, Virgil Gilman,was director of the Fox...
|
IL | 11.5 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
The trail system in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve makes a loop around the entire park. The preserve is geologically significant, featuring glacier-carved rock ridges, ravines and wetland potholes,...
|
IL | 9.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Grass |
|
 |
The Waubonsie Trail links Boulder Hill and the Village of Oswego via a greenway corridor within a residential community. The eastern trailhead is in Jaycee Park, which offers a playground, picnic...
|
IL | 3.2 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
Traveling along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail, you'll be surprised just how quickly you can move from an urban environment into the rolling fields of the Midwest. Starting in Joliet, within shouting...
|
IL | 22.3 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
|
 |
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....
|
IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
|
 |
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...
|
IL | 2.6 mi | Asphalt |
|
The 606 is amazing. Just the concept itself is unique and beautiful to experience. However, recent crime has made the 606 a no-go for me. Realistically, robberies can happen anywhere at anytime, but the recent uptick in these happening at the 606 has me on edge. If you go, go with another person, go during the day, and keep your wits about you. Pay attention to suspicious people and report any incident or anyone suspicious. This is a rule of thumb for doing anything in the city: just be smart.
I rode the entirety of the trail on 8/21 from Rogers Park to the South Shore Golf Course and back, so a total of a little over 39 miles. While the vast majority of the trail is amazing, there are a few hang ups for anyone looking to take a serious ride. For one, the trail south of the center of the city is in poor condition. Pot holes and cracks are a constant hazard. Secondly, the trail kind of disappears when you get to Navy Pier, and picks back up on the south side of the Chicago River. No designated path for bikes who are forced to share the sidewalk with tourists, pedestrians, and other bikes. It can be a little frustrating. Lastly, the beaches are atrocious to navigate with clueless pedestrians and tourists looking up at the sky, down at their feet, but never behind them to see who is approaching. All that being said, being able to see the city coming from the south side is phenomenal and incomparable to other trails. I highly recommend taking this trail at least once, if only to see the full spectrum of Chicago.
My 14 year old son and I rode the trail from Pana to Taylorville and back, nearly the full distance twice for the boy scout cycling merit badge (50 miles). About a mile before reaching the end of the trail in Taylorville, there is a bridge that is closed and there is no easy way to detour around it. The pathway has a few places where the pavement has separated or had tree roots have raised it, but they are marked with white paint. Some of the cracks have been filled with tar and others with very fine gravel. The northern half of the trail is mostly shaded with trees on both sides of the trail (so there are some leaves and small twigs on the trail) whereas the southern half is mostly without shade. There are two small towns where you take a short detour from the otherwise very straight trail. The elevation is slightly higher on both ends of the trail with the middle about 150 feet lower (but it is a very slow, gradual change in elevation). We drove an hour to get to the trail head and it was definitely worth it!
We rode from end to end - 15 miles one way. Ice cream shop about 7 miles in, made for a nice rest stop! Parking and pit toliets available at both ends, and at several points throughout.
There are beautiful sections of this trail and I'll absolutely walk it, again and again, however I feel it's incredibly important to note that there is no parking at the endpoint off 3rd and Cleveland. Instead, it looks like a shady part of town. I drove around and found a parking area near Monroe and Bornman, at the ball fields.
Great trail! Accessible, scenic and well-kept. I've lived walking distance from the trail for 20 years. It can be perfect walking, jogging and biking. We've enjoyed it for family outings with the kids when they were children. For safety, solo activities are best avoided as the trails can be isolated and very wooded in some areas. avoided for worecommend group outing
I rode most of the trail below Joliet on July 28 , 2017. Except for the closures shown on the DNR website (downtown Morris, Marseilles to Ottawa, and two bridges out near Utica), the trail was in decent condition. (I was glad I was on a hybrid and not a skinny bike.)
Joliet to Morris was in good shape. Some of this section is dull, some parts are pleasant.
The closure in Morris has been there for years, and the street detour is easy and not too long.
Morris to Seneca is my new favorite section: quieter and more woodsy than the rest. No trail problems.
Seneca to Marseilles was fine. There’s a good view of the Illinois River if you go a few blocks south of the trail in downtown Marseilles.
Marseilles to Ottawa was mostly dull and pointless. I went around the barricade just west of Marseilles and had to carry my bike over downed trees, which I expected. It got old after a while, though, and since the trail was boring at that point, I wish I hadn’t bothered. There’s a nice paved road next to the trail – use that instead.
Ottawa to Utica is in decent shape, except for the bridge that’s out, and I like this section. I went about 9 miles west from the Fox River aqueduct in Ottawa and came to the bridge. I was tempted to take my shoes and socks off and wade through the two inch deep stream and continue, but turned around instead. (It’s only another mile or so to downtown Utica).
I like the section below Utica, but with the bridge out, I didn’t feel like continuing.
If you accept the closures and the dull parts, the I&M is a good Illinois trail.
Just the right distance now that it connects with the the trail in
Lincolnwood. It connects to Emily Oaks Nature Center (more trails), and has several water fountains. Very nice urban trail.
Southern 3 mile extension opening Saturday, August 12, at Foster and Kostner aves. Irene C. Hernandez Picnic Grove, LaBaugh Woods, Chicago.
Being a Chicagoan I had yet to ride the 606 until last week. My first impression was what a great trail. The idea of traveling without motor traffic and no stops for almost three miles flies by. The ride on the return trip was much slower as there was more traffic on The 606. Still it was the fastest way to travel through this area. The 606 has also improved an area that at one time the term less desirable would of been an understatement. The area has improved and the beauty of The 606 matches the surrounding homes and neighborhoods. This in my opinion is from The 606. We found all the people very pleasant on our journey and they seemed to be very proud of The 606. we saw the Chicago Police Department in a strong presence on our Saturday journey. The CPD was on both foot and bicycle. My only complaint is that it is too short of a trail. Hopefully Chicago will develop more of these useful neighborhood enhancing trails. It is all good on The 606.
I love this trail. Lots of shades, beautiful scenery, lots of animals like birds squirrels bunny's deer... Bears.... ;-) (just kidding about the bears). So.. yeah its an awesome trail. I will keep coming back here.
This trail is terrible from the rain the area has had this summer. The Pecatonica River has flooded out the area around Pecatoinca and from the trailhead in Pecatonica you can only get about 1/2 mile west. Going east on the way from Pecatonica to Winnebago is currently dangerous and not rideable because the trail is beyond washed out in places. Even without the current challenges for this trail there are much better and well maintained trails in Northern Illinois.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
