Illinois Horseback Riding Trails and Maps

2238 Reviews

Looking for the best Horseback Riding trails around Illinois?

Find the top rated horseback riding trails in Illinois, whether you're looking for an easy short horseback riding trail or a long horseback riding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a horseback riding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

City Trails and Maps in Illinois

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Activities
Length
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Type
19 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Danada and Herrick Lake Regional Trail

5.8 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Des Plaines River Trail

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

Great American Rail-Trail

3743.9 mi
State: DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (DeKalb, Kane)

18 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Great Western Trail (DuPage)

12.7 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone

Hebron Trail

6.7 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Gravel

Illinois Prairie Path

58.52 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail

13.4 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Millennium Trail (IL)

30.7 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone

North Branch Trail

25.5 mi
State: IL
Asphalt

Prairie Trail (IL)

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

Rend Lake Bike Trail

20.6 mi
State: IL
Concrete, Crushed Stone

Timber Ridge Trail

1 mi
State: IL
Gravel

Waterfall Glen

9.5 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Grass

Hennepin Canal State Trail

93 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Grass, Gravel

Spring Creek Greenway Trail

8.45 mi
State: IL
Boardwalk, Crushed Stone

Wauponsee Glacial Trail

22.3 mi
State: IL
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Joe Stengel Trail

7.9 mi
State: IL
Ballast, Grass, Gravel

Plum Creek Greenway Trail

4.15 mi
State: IL
Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
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 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...
IL 56.1 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MT, NE, OH, PA, WA, WV, WY 3743.9 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The western segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows 18 miles of a former railway corridor through DeKalb and Kane counties, between Sycamore Forest Preserve in the City of Sycamore and...
IL 18 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The eastern segment of the Great Western Trail in Illinois follows almost 13 miles of an abandoned railway corridor through DuPage County, between Villa Park and West Chicago. About the...
IL 12.7 mi Crushed Stone
The Hebron Trail rolls across the northern Illinois prairie through the former corridor of the Kenosha and Rockford Railroad, known as the Kenosha Division Line at the time of its demise in 1939....
IL 6.7 mi Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) was one of the nation’s first rail-trail conversions. The 58-mile trail consists of five connected trail segments with three main branches that converge at 300 S...
IL 58.52 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail for 13.4 miles, much of the way along an old railroad right-of-way between County Highway 2 east of Charleston and N 16th Street in Mattoon; an additional 1-mile loop...
IL 13.4 mi Asphalt
The Millennium Trail spans just over 30 miles in two disconnected segments. The trail goes through forest, farmland, and the suburban neighborhoods of Lake County with a range of surfaces, including...
IL 30.7 mi Asphalt, Concrete, Crushed Stone
The North Branch Trail follows the North Branch of the Chicago River for 25.5 miles through Cook County. The trail was originally a dirt path often used for horseback riding; though it’s now paved, an...
IL 25.5 mi Asphalt
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...
IL 26.4 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
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
The Timber Ridge trail is located on the eastern side of the Timber Ridge Forest Preserve in west Chicago. The preserve offers several trails, fishing, picnicking, and is home to Kline Creek Farms,...
IL 1 mi Gravel
The trail system in Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve makes a loop around the entire park and totals 9.5 miles. About the Route The Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve is geologically significant,...
IL 9.5 mi Crushed Stone, Grass
The Hennepin Canal State Trail stretches for 93 miles in northwest Illinois along an old canal towpath. The trail is administered as a State Park by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and...
IL 93 mi Asphalt, Grass, Gravel
The Spring Creek Greenway Trail, separated into distinct eastern and western portions of the trail, spans 8.45 miles throughout two distinct sections of preserved and protected lands. At its...
IL 8.45 mi Boardwalk, Crushed Stone
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...
IL 22.3 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 Plum Creek Greenway Trail meanders for 3.15 miles through the Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, with an unconnected 1-mile section in Plum Valley Preserve. About the Route The Plum Creek...
IL 4.15 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

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Recent Trail Reviews

Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail

TRAIL EXTENDED

September, 2025 by 56sugarcreek

The Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail pavement has been extended 6 blocks further west to the YMCA parking lot and a beautiful new park on 16th Street.

John Husar I&M Canal Trail

Rode the trail and continued up and over the bridge to connect with the Centennial Trail. Turned around at the flags just before Lemont road for a nice 15 mile loop.

September, 2025 by markcavalieri

Rode the trail and continued up and over the bridge to connect with the Centennial Trail. Turned around at the flags just before Lemont road for a nice 15 mile loop.

Great Western Trail (DeKalb, Kane)

Long, straight run

September, 2025 by hilltoppper

Did a round trip from Dean Street to Sycamore and back. Trail surface is pretty good however there are a few washouts and gopher holes. You just have to be careful. True to a former railroad bed, it is flat except for a few bridges. No busy streets to cross. The elevation profile shows a gentle rise from each end to the middle.

Do not just ride the trail and go home. At the west end take a few minutes to ride through downtown Sycamore. It is a delightful town. Enjoy some of the classic old homes on South Somonuk Street.

Accordion

Prospect Heights Bike Path

Needs a complete overhaul.

September, 2025 by tdvst3

Needs a complete overhaul.

Prospect Heights Bike Path

This path is in poor condition and needs to be redone. It is asphalt but time is not on its side. Wish I did not waste my time on this path.

September, 2025 by ricking62

This path is in poor condition and needs to be redone. It is asphalt but time is not on its side. Wish I did not waste my time on this path.

Wauponsee Glacial Trail

Something different if you live in the Chicago area.

August, 2025 by csw620

Aug 2025
Aug 205
I typically ride prairie path area, but like to get out and find something different from time to time.

Did minimal research before heading down to ride here.
The north end of the trail is on a pretty industrial road beneath an underpass for I-80 and just north of a train crossing.
You can find a place to park within short distance of the trail, but next time I will park at one of the following:

#1
Sugar Creek forest preserve
17540 W Laraway Rd
Joliet, IL 60433
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2GMxcK6ZHjynGe8M9
#2
Near one of the businesses with big empty parking lots on the weekend where the trail crosses Mills Road.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Grwn9j5QNm4wT6Y7

Heading south the first few miles is paved blacktop that does not appear to be that old, but has numerous bumpy patches from tree roots. After a few miles it becomes the self healing compacted gravel and is a nicer ride.

I did 16 one way, 32 miles round trip with the south end being Symerton, IL
I think 5 more miles gets you to the river.
There are a couple public rest areas with pit toilets, and a couple fountains also with taps to refill your bottle.
Did not see much in terms of food. There may have been if you ventured off a bit.
The only place inviting bikers were these folks.
Symerton Tap and Grill
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bLMprvEBzoduYS6V9
I don't like a big meal while riding, and just had my own snacks.

Nice ride, its little effort for me to get here, but can see doing this again once each year.

Ridgefield Trace

Algonquin to Woodstock - downtown

August, 2025 by kkoniche_tl

Our annual women’s biking trip did this ride on our 3rd day, a total of 36 miles round trip. Woodstock needs to have a marked bike route from the end of Ridgefield Trace into downtown Woodstock as there is a lot of traffic where the trail ends. Some spots on the trail have a lot of bumpy cracks, but overall was OK for what we needed to get from Crystal Lake to Woodstock. Downtown Woodstock is very cute with lots of shops & restaurants with a cute park/square & where Groundhog Day was filmed.

Cal-Sag Trail

great trail

August, 2025 by annecjb

Rode just about 8 miles on the Palos Hills end. Beautiful paved trail, beautiful weather on 8/24/25. Definitely would ride again.

Jane Addams Trail

Another Nice Ride

August, 2025 by bazjkm2

(8/13/2025) - Beautiful day for a ride on the Jane Addams. Trail was in very good condition and it was a smooth ride all the way from Tutty's Crossing in Freeport to the Wisconsin state line (Badger State Trail in WI). Everything was green and lush and the country side scenery was beautiful. The Addams people do a very fine job of maintaining their trail. One of my favorites to ride every year! Highly recommended. Of course, don't forget to stop at Union Dairy afterwards for some delicious ice cream. It's the best.

Great River Trail

Needs better markers

August, 2025 by carolehansen58

Just finished riding this trail over four days. They were in the middle of repaving a section which I thought was great but right along route 84 very scary and hazardous.. you either had to walk your bike through the grass, or take your chances on the highway. The trail is poorly marked when you have to take secondary roads to reconnect with the trail, especially when you’re heading towards Moline.. good places to stay very close to the trail and there is no problem finding any place to eat. I’ve ridden it once that will probably be my only time I will ride this trail..

Deer Grove Trail

Good skating trail

August, 2025 by beccasertic

The Red Paved Loop is great for inline skaters. The path is fairly clear of sticks and rocks. There are a couple of nice declines to build up a little speed, and the inclines aren't too steep. The trail is accessible right from the parking lot

Chicago Lakefront Trail

may people

August, 2025 by pixiericci

Trail is beautiful but sooooo many people. Pedestrians dont care about the bike lanes, they walk in front of you

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