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10 Biking Trails in Illinois That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Illinois, United States including River to River Trail, Miner Park, Nickle Plate Trail, Centennial Bike Trail, Hickory Creek Preserve, East Fork State Park MTB trails, North Branch Bike Trail, Great River Trail, Busse Woods Trail System, Lakefront Trail.
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1. River to River Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
160 mile-long hiking trail. From Elizabethtown, IL to Grand Tower, IL
2. Miner Park
3. Nickle Plate Trail
4. Centennial Bike Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By Toyota1994 - Chicago, United States
Centennial Trail is one beautiful that runs through parts of three suburban counties from Willow Springs to Romeoville over a distance of 13 miles with no major road crossings. The asphalt pavement is pretty smooth the entire way; there is about a mile-long stretch in the middle near Old Lemont road where the trail is an industrial road. But this road is very lightly used, and during non-business hours it is basically devoid of traffic. Not to be missed are panoramic views of the river from the pedestrian bridge in Willow Springs and of the canal from the 135th Street bridge in Romeoville. The trail is on a thin strip of land between the Des Plaines River on the west side and the Illinois-Michigan Canal on the east. Running primarily through riparian forest, the trail is quite shady and is ideal for bird and wildlife watching. I saw numerous deer along the trail. And at one point, I ran over an unfortunate frog which jumped back right underneath my bike. We get good views of the river and the canal barges quite frequently through the trees. The fencing and barrier that runs the full length of the trail is there to keep Asian Carp from jumping from the river to the canal in heavy rains, and ultimately keep them out of the Great Lakes. Frequent signposts explain the purpose of the fence/barrier. The trail is well mile-marked and signs posted adequately. The Centennial trail connects up with other major trails – the Cal Sag Trail, the I&M Canal Trail and the Veterans Memorial Trail. Also, the trail connects at its southern end with the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail; though I wish the connection was better designed and better marked. The Centennial trail also goes through the Waterfall Glen Forest preserve, though there is no trail connection with the main trail in the forest preserve (will require a bridge across river). There is a man-made hill called the Centennial Hill along the trail which is about a half-mile hike; I walked my bike to the top for expansive views of the surroundings. All in all, the Centennial trail is a most enjoyable and one of the best trails in the Chicago area.
5. Hickory Creek Preserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By JeanneM196 - New Lenox, United States
I walk or bike here often. The two parking lots are set back from the road, so you hear no traffic. There are two picnic pavilions. The furthest one has a great view of the open prairie. The paved trail is well maintained. It meandered through the prairie and into the woods to Hickory Creek and eventually to the Township offices on Rt. 30. It's beautiful in any season.
6. East Fork State Park MTB trails
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
East Fork Trails is located off of East Fork Lake near the dam and arena. You can then cross Silver Rd. to the sailboat launch area to enjoy fishing and picnicking. The area is good for hiking, biking and horse back riding. Please refrain from using the trails when the orange flag is in place.
7. North Branch Bike Trail
8. Great River Trail
9. Busse Woods Trail System
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 184 reviews
Reviewed By Toyota1994 - Chicago, United States
Busse Woods Forest Preserve in Elk Grove Village is an excellent park with a vast variety of options for recreation. During my recent visit in August, I rode my bike riding and thoroughly enjoyed the asphalt-paved trail. The trail is well groomed and maintained in excellent condition by the Forest Preserve. The main loop trail is about 7 miles long and there are additional side trails making a total of about 11 miles. The trail has a variety of scenery with shade and exposed areas. The vast forest preserve has several entrances and parking lots. I didn’t encounter any bug problem during my summer visit. Some of the highlights of the park include the two bridges over Higgins Road, the elk herd, the beautiful meadows, woods and lakes. The major disadvantage is that the place gets very crowded (especially on nice weekends). The trail traffic can get pretty heavy with all sorts of people... walkers, runners, people fishing, people on skates & roller blades, and of course bikers (of all skill levels). The trail is narrow at some places so just be aware of your surroundings. One will be able to enjoy this beautiful trail much more during off peak times. I highly recommend this trail!
10. Lakefront Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,416 reviews
The Chicago Lakefront Bicycle Trail is roughly 22 miles of bike paths, stretching from Indiana border up to Evanston. The trail rides through many parks including Jackson Park (including U of Chicago), Grant Park (including Buckingham Fountain/Museum Campus) Millennium Park, and Lincoln Park with its Free Zoo. Plenty of beaches and bike rentals available at Bobby's Bike Hike - 540 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL 60611 (free maps, helmets).
Reviewed By rudi498 - New Delhi, India
to explore the beautiful skyline of Chicago it is a must for every visitor to rent a bike abd follow the trail. Nice views, aa lot of places to rest and enjoy the lake and the the city skyline.
