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.
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I have been biking on this trail for a well over 10 years and it is starting to show a lot of wear with significant rough spots. There is one section that has become extremely dangerous where heading west from Capron you encounter the first bridge about a quarter to half mile that has significant raised payment on each end of the short bridge. To be safe and not damage your bike you have to come to almost a complete stop especially riding a road bike (BIG CAUTION). It is still a fantastic ride just needs some attention in several sections along the way.
Likes: All asphalt for 14.4 miles, about 2/3 rds of trail is shaded by trees, not a lot of traffic
Dislikes: many rough patches and dangerous raised payment on a bridge section
I rode this trail on 7-14-17 from the small Harlem Avenue parking lot to just east of the Metra Station in Matteson. This is a good, straight, smooth, and level, paved trail. The section I was rode was interesting in that there were ponds, open fields, woods, and wetlands along the way. An added bonus was Rail Fan Park in Matteson, which features nice informational placards about the Railroad industry of the Chicago metro area. Also there's an old caboose and an observation platform high in the air, on which you can ride your bike to the top.
Well maintained with beautiful scenery. We started at the trail head off of Willow Springs Rd. and rode west to Lamont. Nice ride and at 11AM on cool July Saturday morning bit was surprisingly quiet. We will definitely head back for more.
Beautiful stretch of crushed gravel. All flat, no hills. 6 miles to Lock #8, great beginner ride
Tree down about 2 1/2 miles east of Utica. Blocks trail, gotta carry bikes through. A mile or so later, bridge is out gotta carry bikes across creek. Not a great trail, not much to dealing the way.
I rode this trail end-to-end in 2005, and this was my first return visit for a ride on the northern half from Harrisburg through the tunnel and back, a total of 49.6 miles. Harrisburg has a paved 2.2 mile segment with numerous street crossings; the locals seemed very aware of the trail, and more than one driver stopped to wait for me to cross. While this is a kind gesture, it holds its own dangers. I always remind my riding companions to watch out for traffic in other lanes who are still coming through.
The next few miles were hard-packed stone, very smooth and easy to ride. After that the stone was still smooth but just a little bit softer packed. It was a good surface but I realized late in the ride that I had expended more energy than expected most of the day, and it caught me by surprise that at 35 miles my legs felt like they had done the full 50.
I spotted one ATV rider using the trail and noticed a few spots where someone's access road jogs for a few feet on the trail, but the surface was not damaged noticeably by these activities. There was one stretch of 100 yards or so with a lot of very loose gravel that had eroded or not been properly patched, but I was able to steer to the edge and get through OK.
There is a mix of sun and shade, an interesting rock cut to ride through, and the tunnel is short enough that a light is not strictly necessary. I would urge anyone without a light to walk their bike through the darkest part of the tunnel.
Johnson's Southern Barbecue operates from a mobile home with a separate screened dining tent at the Harrisburg trailhead. It looks intriguing, but I had leftovers waiting in the motel fridge and missed that opportunity.
I'll come back and ride the southern half of the trail again sometime. My memory from 12 years ago was that the last stretch from Karnak to Rago was not a rail trail and held little interest. The Barkhausen Wetlands Center was a nice place to end, but I spent most of my time in the restroom with the cold water running to cool myself on a 100 degree day.
we had a lot of fun on this ride. there are playgrounds along the path too so it is super kid friendly. there were lots of people on the path so we didnt get lost, but i can see how someone might. the app helped any time i wasn't sure.
Beautiful path. Well paved - did not notice or see one "pothole" or crack; Varying scenery - saw two deer. A couple of times, it was not clear on how to pick path back up after some streets, but other friendly riders helped out. The best we have ridden in the Greater Chicago area. Looking forward to going back again soon.
We have ridden many sections of the trail and enjoy it for its long stretches without crossings and nature/wildlife. The section between Buffalo Rock State Park (which is currently closed presumably due to Illinois' financial woes) and Utica is really rough. There is a bridge out that appears to have been out for years....the only option is to climb down an embankment and walk your bike though a muddy creek--so be prepared with the right kind of shoes (Tevas or the like). West of there you will find several spots with trees down...one section you will need lift/maneuver your bike through and climb through yourself. After that the trail is paved (welcomely) as it takes you to Utica. This one section is not enough to mar enjoyment of the trail overall as it is a long and varied trail with many cool sites to see. But be aware of this section as a little bit of preparation will save you some hassles.
I would like to say the Lake County section is handicap accessible.
jennpwilliams remarks about trail being ungroomed and not good can be true after heaving rains. This is a river trail and flooding can take out sections. Once dried up I feel the forest preserve district does a great job of re-grooming the trail. Overall this trail is kept well and I truly enjoy my rides on this trail.
my wife and i took part of the trail the previous week but we finally went the length of it this past weekend. beautiful trail and we'll definitely be riding this more often.
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