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Print Friendly MapThe Illini Trail (formerly known as the Hesse Trail) connects two neighborhoods and a park in the city of O'Fallon.
It is a short, completely tree-covered rail-trail, well used by local residents. Except at its southern end, the paved trail runs along the top of an elevated earthen railbed with significant dropoffs on both sides.
Parking is available mid-route at Hesse Park (810 N Madison St, O'Fallon). Visit the TrailLink map for detailed directions.
New trail signs are up. It is renamed the Illini Trail. It a short ride from the trail head down Illini Drive to the Goshen Trail.
It's nice to see how a small community has used even this short section of abandoned rail bed to fashion a now comfortable and well-used trailway directly connnecting two neighborhoods and a city park. By bike or by foot, getting between any two of its access points by city street would be unsafe and much further. It was great to see children riding their bikes from home to the park, down the old rail-trail! It's like transportation coming full circle.
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