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Print Friendly MapThe 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 soccer fields to the primary parking lot and service building, and a short spur east to an Olympic tribute memorial and small parking lot. Heritage Park offers a connector trail over to N. Country Fair Drive, plus a nice pond and more trees. Kaufman Park on the southern end surrounds scenic Clear Lake.
The Greenbelt Bikeway's main parking is at its western access off Perimeter Road. From the eastern terminus of I-72 at N. Country Fair Drive, turn north and proceed to W. Bradley Avenue. Turn left and go past the parks to the first traffic signal. Turn right onto Perimeter Road and go 600 feet to the turn-in on the right. There is also trail access from a smaller parking lot off Parkland Way by the Olympic Tribute.
How come nobody told me about the Greenbelt Bikeway in Champaign? It connects Dodds Park, Herritage Park (by the Olympic Tribute Memorial), and if you go off trail a bit, it gets you to Kaufman Lake. It also offer a connector trail over to North Country Fair Drive! This is a perfect super easy ride on mostly concrete and asphalt. Try go off trail to explore the crushed stones thrill and a small climb and drop. There's a train track and body of water... Two things I love to be surrounded by when I'm riding. What else can I ask for? Make sure to lower your head when going the 72 west underpass/train track bridge. It's only about 2.5 miles ish ride for a full complete loop. Did 3 loops and I am satisfied!
Unfortunately the trail is interrupted at the north end of Kaufman Lake Park by RR & interstate right-of-way. Hopefully that will be remedied some day. But it is easily traversed with hybrid or mountain bike.
This trail is great for a short, local outing.
An interesting part of the trail is its southern terminus. There's an underpass beneath the westbound lanes of I-72 and a small, close underpass beneath a railroad line. Then the trail abruptly ends at a fork, right before the eastbound lanes of I-72. By foot you can push your way through the brush and see where the paved trail used to go down and under the highway through a chamber of the Copper Slough culvert. That passage has now filled up with debris and sediment, rendering it no longer usable. From the present trailend between the two highway underpasses, one can see where local runners and bikers violate railroad right-of-way and go on to Kaufman Park along a path beside the tracks. At the northeast corner of Kaufman Park, there's a section of the former trail, coming up from the slough and into the park.
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