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.
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| Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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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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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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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 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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The Bloomingdale Trail, part of “The 606” park system, is a 3-mile, elevated rail-trail on Chicago’s northwest side. Built on a former rail line, the trail sits 17 feet above four of the city’s...
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IL | 2.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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The 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...
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IL | 3.2 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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 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 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...
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IL | 11.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The Cal-Sag Trail (or, Calumet-Sag Trail) is currently under active construction. As of early 2018, it has a competed section of about 13 miles, stretching from near its western terminus at the John...
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IL | 13.8 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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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...
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IL | 13 mi | Asphalt |
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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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Time spent on the Chenoa Route 66 Prairie Trail is time shared with history. As rail-trails are ones built over the railbeds of earlier train lines, this “road-trail” is one built directly over...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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The Chicago Lakefront Trail is aptly named; it spans 19 miles along the shore of Lake Michigan, going right through downtown Chicago and passing many cultural and tourist attractions throughout the...
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IL | 19 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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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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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The sprawling Constitution Trail covers more than 46 miles throughout the Bloomington-Normal region. The trail was officially named and dedicated in 1987 in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the...
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IL | 46.4 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 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 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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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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The Des Plaines River Trail runs alongside the Des Plaines River for just over 56 miles, protecting watershed habitat and forestland through much of Lake and Cook Counties. The trail is a natural...
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IL | 56.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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 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...
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IL | 29.5 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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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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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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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 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 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 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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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 | 5.8 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 the Fox River Trail (FRT) was built on stretches of three former railroads: Chicago, Aurora & Elgin; Aurora, Elgin, & Fox River Electric; and Chicago & North Western. Today, it hosts a multitude...
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IL | 44.6 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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 linestill...
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IL | 4.5 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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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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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About an hour northwest of Chicago, the beautiful Grant Woods Forest Preserve spans more than 1,000 acres, offering an outdoor respite of prairie, woodlands and marshes. The crushed limestone pathway...
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IL | 5.9 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The 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 Chicago, St....
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IL | 62.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 12 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The western segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 17 miles of a former railway corridor through DeKalb and Kane counties, between LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve and the town of Sycamore....
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IL | 17 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 8.9 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 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 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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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 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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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 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 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...
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IL | 104.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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IL | 0.7 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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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 Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail follows the eponymous waterway alongside the Illinois River. The trail runs along the old canal towpath from LaSalle to the historical quarry town of...
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IL | 79.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Grass, Gravel |
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The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) was one of the nation’s first rail-trail conversions. It consists of five connected trail segments with three main branches that converge at Volunteer Park (West...
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IL | 58.4 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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There’s no debating the historical significance of the Jane Addams Trail. Not only is it named for a Nobel Peace Prize-winning social activist who grew up nearby, but the trail also passes the site of...
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IL | 18.9 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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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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 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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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 | 6.7 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 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 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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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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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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Although a relatively short trail, the Leland Path provides an important connection between the Hononegah Recreation Path and the Stone Bridge Trail. The pleasant, tree-dotted pathway travels through...
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IL | 2 mi | Asphalt |
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The 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, Crushed Stone |
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While you’re in the land of Lincoln, visit the Lincoln Prairie Trail to make the trip complete. Starting at the trailhead in northwest Pana, leisurely stroll along a paved trail that is nicely...
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IL | 14.6 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 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 |
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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 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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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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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...
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IL | 18.7 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 | 8.5 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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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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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 | 5.1 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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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 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 | 7.5 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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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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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 | 9.6 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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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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Moraine Hills State Park Trail offers a wonderful experience for any geology or nature aficionado. A moraine is an accumulation of earth and stones carried and finally deposited by a glacier....
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IL | 11.4 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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The 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...
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IL | 0.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The North Branch Trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River over 20 miles through Cook County. The trail was originally a dirt path often used for horseback riding; though it’s now paved, an...
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IL | 21.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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 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...
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IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Dirt |
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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,...
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IL | 1 mi | Asphalt, Concrete |
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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 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...
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IL, MO | 1 mi | Concrete |
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The Old Plank Road Trail travels nearly 22 miles between Chicago Heights and Joliet across a densely populated suburban landscape, where you’re never far from a café or espresso stand. Still, you...
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IL | 21.7 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 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, Concrete |
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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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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 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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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 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...
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IL | 12.5 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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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...
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IL, IN | 7.9 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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IL | 6.7 mi | Asphalt |
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Although the Phyllis Harmon Path is short, it's an important connector in an east-west bike/ped route between Arlington Heights and Glencoe. Following Dundee Road, the paved trail goes from the Des...
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IL | 1.1 mi | Asphalt |
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The Poplar Creek Trail is a 9.5-mile paved loop around Poplar Creek Forest Preserve near Hoffman Estates. The trail has a couple of hills but is otherwise level and makes for a pleasant journey...
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IL | 9.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Prairie 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 Prairie Trail runs the length of McHenry County and is managed by the McHenry County Conservation District. The rail-trail spans just over 26 miles from the Wisconsin border and the farms and...
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IL | 26.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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Prospect Heights Bike Path runs between Woodland Trails Park and Country Garden Park, paralleling the commuter rail tracks on its north–south leg. The trail provides a nice off-road route through the...
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IL | 4.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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 Randall Road Bike Trail offers a 4-mile paved north-south route along its namesake roadway in a suburb west of Chicago. A highlight of the journey is the trail's passage through the LeRoy Oakes...
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IL | 3.9 mi | Asphalt |
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The 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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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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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...
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IL | 3 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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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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The Riverside Recreational Path begins as a gravel lane at the base of Riverside Park on the banks of the Rock River in Roscoe. From there, it continues along Rowena Street, paralleling State Route...
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IL | 0.63 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel |
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The Robert McClory Bike Path runs the length of Lake County, knitting together a string of communities on the north shore of Chicago all the way to the Wisconsin border. In 1997, the trail was named...
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IL | 25.4 mi | Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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Caution: As of August 2017, the trail is closed due to storm washouts from Mile 13.4 to Mile 13.9; this closure is located approximately 2.5 miles north of Princeville in Peoria County. The trail is...
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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 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 Rock Valley College Path is a paved route looping around and through its namesake campus in Rockford. At its southern end, it connects to the Spring Brook Road bike lanes that continue east to the...
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IL | 2.2 mi | Asphalt |
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The 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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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 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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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...
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IL | 26.7 mi | Asphalt, Cinder, Woodchips |
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Sandwiched between towering limestone bluffs and the confluence of two mighty rivers, the Sam Vadalabene Great River Road Bike Trail offers scenery once enjoyed by riverboat captains. Today, you can...
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IL | 20.6 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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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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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....
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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 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 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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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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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 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 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...
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IL | 17.2 mi | Asphalt |
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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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A dark railroad tunnel and two dozen trestles crossing streams and rocky ravines welcome visitors to the scenic Tunnel Hill State Trail as it travels 55 miles through forests and farmland in sparsely...
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IL | 55.3 mi | Concrete, Crushed Stone |
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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 mi | Asphalt |
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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 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...
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IL | 1.5 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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The Virgil L. Gilman Trail travels from quiet forest and prairie lands to bustling neighborhoods in just 11 miles, linking a woodsy community college campus with the eastern Chicago suburb of...
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IL | 11.4 mi | Asphalt |
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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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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,...
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IL | 9.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Grass |
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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 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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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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I guess it’s neighboring Lexington IL that has the ‘official’ Memory Lane of Route 66. But I had memories aplenty when I rode this short trail in Chenoa. I grew up about 80 miles southwest of Chenoa when Route 66 was the best and only way to drive to Chicago or St. Louis. I later lived in Mexico for several years, and most of the miles between here and the border were on Old 66. Ah, stop me now. I have not time enough to tell all my stories of our Mother Road.
We love riding this trail. Since it does not go through a lot of Forest Preserves you do not see many pedestrians. We rode to the end point off of Willow Springs road 6/16/18 and the bridge to the start of the path was blocked with signs saying that the bridge was closed until October 2018. No warning signs up the week before.
I understand this trail is only currently 1/4th complete, so disregard after 2018 construction.
I took this trail from campus at UIUC and back on my day off. I thought it would be relaxing to get away from all of the traffic, so it was a little disconcerting to be right next to the highway with no trees to secure me from the road. This lack of trees meant no shade, and it was 90 degrees. I have quite a bad sunburn.
In addition, at this juncture there are only like three benches and no water spouts to refill my water bottle.
Because the trail isn't done, it ended quite abruptly in the town, which was a little awkward for me. I admit feeling a little out of place with my bike and my sack lunch with no place to sit. There did end up being a nice park, complete with benches and shade, northeast of town.
FYI, the bridge you use to access the trail from Columbia Woods in Willow Springs was suddenly closed today, 6/16/16. The sign says bridge out 6/18 which would be Monday & would make more sense but they put concrete barriers across already anyway. You’ll have to access the trail elsewhere until they finish their bridge repairs.
I rode from the trailhead at Sunset Park in Rock Island to the Arsenal Bridge where I crossed into Iowa, so this review is only for that short section of the trail. It's urban and it moves onto and off the high levee overlooking the Mississippi with ease.
Parking at Sunset Park is easy, and routefinding isn't a challenge at all.
Just head north and follow the signs. Once you're out of the park, you'll climb onto a flood control levee overlooking Old Man River. The views are spectacular. The trail eventually comes off the levee and into a neighborhood that has an industrial urban feel to it, but I don't mean that in a bad way. It adds flavor and it just felt very safe. The pavement is as smooth as it gets and the signage is just about right. People along the trail were kind and friendly.
Bottom line, this is a really nice section of trail that overlooks an iconic American landmark. It's well worth the ride if you get the chance.
Love the length of this. Usually do it in a little over an hour, and at just under 20 Miles this is a perfect ride to help you maintain and work on a faster pace when training for those much longer rides. Surface is good enough, not the best but not even close to being bad. Good straight aways, only a few roadway crossings on the entire path so you can maintain a good speed without having to stop or slow down.
Trail surface is good, way too many stops though for roadways, etc. Rode after a rainy day so maybe that added to the low rating. A lot more routes in the area with less stops though.
For the most part, I agree with the five star reviews. It is a beautiful trail that takes you through forest, past a beautiful overlook, over bridges and has several bathroom/outhouses every 3-4 miles (located in the parking lots). I did not see horse poop as one review indicated and I was able to handle the 4-5 larger hills (I'm in my 60's so most bikers should handle them fine). The trail wasn't too busy (midweek) and you get the feeling that you are far from civilization because of the vast number of trees and open spaces. I took the advice from one reviewer and went counterclockwise around the circle. I really think that it had better runs in that direction. The only negative for me is that the trail takes you across a couple of busy roads and traffic didn't stop for bikers. My distance clocked in a 10 miles. Finally, this trail is excellent for really hot days because of all the shade. Enjoy!
Long parts in the middle of the trail are not paved. Be careful on a road bike
It would be easy to view this trail in a negative light. The pavement is a mixed bag. It's not fast and smooth. Maintenance appears to be non-existent. There are hazards. There are snakes (I ran over one) and loads of bugs. You won't find a lot of services, at least at the west end.
But what you also won't find is a lot of people and sometimes that's a good thing. You won't find the type of self-absorbed roadies and triatheletes who sometimes terrorize other trail users by buzzing them at 25 mph. You won't find a lot suburban dog walkers. What you will find are cyclists and runners who genuinely enjoy being out in the natural world. If you like your nature natural instead of Disneyfied, you're gonna love this trail. If you like history, there are a number of locks along the trail. This was once a working canal. A local runner I met on the trail told me that it was the model for the Panama Canal.
I rode from Colona to Geneseo and back on Saturday June 9, 2018. It's a 21 mile round trip. It was muggy but interestingly enough, there were pockets of cooler air, too. The underpass below I80 was dark and flooded...real horror movie stuff. About a mile up, a small bridge was out but someone had carved a bypass and my Salsa Fargo with 29 x 2.25 WTB Rangers handed it just fine. I was surprised at how empty it felt out here. This is a part of the country where it's really hard to get away from civilization, but on this stretch at least, you can. The miles flew by and soon enough I was back at my car.
I've read a number of comments from people who tried to tackle this on road bikes. It's probably doable if you're adept at picking a line, but there are better bikes to choose for this. I got lucky and picked the right one and that no doubt added to my enjoyment. You could ride it on just about anything though. It's just not that rugged. It is pockmarked and goes from mostly paved to mostly unpaved and back many times. Between the mud and berries, my bike was filthy when I got back to the car. Bring a rag and clean it off when you're done or you'll have a mess when you get home.
The moral of the story here is to know what it is you're getting into and plan accordingly. Bring Deet unless you want to be eaten alive. Don't go traipsing through the weeds unless you want to get up close and personal with snakes. You're traversing what is mostly a wild wetland and if my experience was any indication, you'll have it mostly to yourself. That's pretty special in this day and age. Five stars, only because I can't give it six.
I rode this trail from Morton to East Peoria on Thursday June 7. 2018. As the previous poster notes, there's a section of the trail that's closed and there was no marked detour when I was there. Finding the alternative route wasn't difficult. It's along a mostly parallel road. I measured it at about a mile, not three, and traffic was pretty reasonable in terms of volume and speed.
Other than the closure, the only issue I had was the large number of road crossings but that's the nature of this kind of trail as it passes through a somewhat developed area. Pavement was good as was signage. The trail is popular as I came across a lot of people both on foot and bikes. Lots of people walking dogs, too. I presume they live along the trail. Overall, a nice experience and an easy way to get into Peoria from the suburbs.
This is a fun filled ride along the beautiful Kankakee river. The new walk or bicycle only bridge, crossing the river near Riverside Hospital is a real plus.
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