Map of bike paths / walking paths in the the Greater Chicago Metropolitan area
Recreational trails for walking & cycling in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Illinois
Chigaco, Illinois
Click on the key symbol in the main map to zoom into specific trails.
RELATED LINKS
Chicago is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan in Northeastern Illinois. It is the third largest city in the United States with a rich history and located in a beautiful part of the country. There is the lake front area with views of the Chicago Skyline and the ships and sailboats out on the water. The surrounding countryside has rivers and forests in between the residential neighborhoods and commercial centers.
The city and the surrounding suburban communities have a multitude of lengthy recreational trails for bike riding, walking, running and exploring nature. These trails my travel along the shores of Lake Michigan, through the urban landscape along an abandoned railroad right-of-way or through the natural areas along one of the many rivers in this region.
Below is a list of some of the major trail systems in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area. Trail names will link to articles and maps for that specific trail.
| TRAIL NAME | LENGTH (mi.) | SURFACE | COMMUNITIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cal-Sag Trail | 12 | unpaved | Lemont, Midloathian |
| Chicago Lakefront Trail | 18 | paved | Chicago |
| Des Plaines River Trail | 28+ | unpaved/paved | Wisconsin Border to Chicago |
| DuPage River Trail | 16+ | paved | Naperville |
| Fox River Trail | 37+ | paved | Elgin, Aurora, Oswego |
| Great Western Trail | 17 | unpaved | Sycamore, St. Charles |
| Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail I&M Canal Trail | 72 | unpaved | Peru to Joliet |
| Illinois Prairie Path | 30 | paved/unpaved | Aurora, Wheaton, Lombard, Bellwood, Lindenhurst |
| Millennium Trail | 30 | unpaved/paved | Mundelein, Ivanhoe, Round Lake |
| North Branch Trail | 37 | paved/unpaved | Northbrook, Glencoe, Glenview, Niles, Chicago |
| Old Plank Road Trail | 20 | paved | Joliet, Frankfort, Park Forest |
| Prairie Trail | 26 | paved | Algonquin to Wisconsin Border |
| Robert McClory Bike Path | 22 | paved | Highland Park, Lake Forest, Waukegan, Zion |
| Salt Creek Greenway Trail & Salt Creek Trail | 41 | paved | Elhurst, Itasca, Brookfield, Lyons |
| Skokie Valley Bike Path | 9.5 | paved | Lake Forest, Highland Park |
| Southern DuPage County Regional Trail | 46 | paved | Aurora, Naperville, Bolingbrook, Woodridge |
| The 606 - Bloomingdale Trail | 2.8 | paved | Chicago |
| Thorn Creek Trail | 22 | paved/unpaved | Park Forest, South Chicago Heights, Lansing |
| Virgil Gilman Nature Trail and Virgil Gilman Trail | 12 | paved | Sugar Grove, Aurora |
| Wauponsee Glacial Trail | 22 | unpaved | Joliet, Manhattan |
Resources
Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Chicago, Illinois
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