Map of the Chicago Lakefront Trail
Chicago Lakefront Trail
Chicago Lakefront Trail
LENGTH:
18 miles
SURFACE:
paved
COMMUNITIES:
Downtown Chicago
HIGHLIGHTS:
Chicago Skyline views, Soldier Field, museums, parks, Lincoln Park Zoo, Museum Science and Industry, South Shore Cultrual Center, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Transit stations, beaches
NEARBY TRAILS:
Midway Plaisance Park Trail
Washington Park Trails
RELATED LINKS:
The Chicago Lakefront Trail is an 18-mile long system of paved pathways that follow the shoreline of Lake Michigan and goes past Downtown Chicago.
The trail system goes through the heart of Chicago, right past downtown and connects multiple parks and greenspaces along its route. The trail interconnects with the other local trails along the way and provides an easy way to get through the downtown area on foot or on a bike. This is a fantastic place to do some bird watching or some people watching. You can stroll through the gardens, dine at the many restaurants or watch the boats out on the lake.
The trail system extends from the community of Edgewater to the community of South Shore. The route takes trail users past many of Chicago's museums and beautiful gardens as well as past the Navy Pier. The Chicago Transit Authority has several stations along the way.
Conditions
The Chicago Lakefront Trail is paved for the entire route. The trail intersects numerous pathways within the local parks. There are many areas that may get congested with pedestrians. Cyclists may need to dismount.
Points of Interest
The Chicago Lakefront Trail goes by the following points of interest:
| Cricket Hill | Milton Lee Olive Park |
| Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary | Navy Pier |
| The Magic Hedge | Grant Park |
| Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course | Shedd Aquarium |
| Waveland Park Softball Fields | Soldier Field |
| Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary | Adler Planetarium |
| Belmont Harbor | Northerly Island |
| Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum | McCormick Bird Sanctuary |
| Lincoln Park North Pond Sanctuary | Burnham Park |
| Lincoln Park Conservatory | Harold Washington Playlot Park |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Museum of Science and Industry |
| North Avenue Beach | Midway Plaisance |
| Chicago History Museum | University of Chicago |
| Oak Street Beach | Washington Park |
| Maggie Daley Park | Jackson Park |
| Chicago Children's Museum | South Shore Cultural Center |
Nearby Trails
The Chicago Lakefront Trail connects to the multitude of pathways that wander through the local parks and past the musuems and other attractions. Near the south end of the Chicago Lakefront Trail, the pathways alongside Midway Plaisance intersect the trail. These pathways go past The University of Chicago and lead to pathways in Washington Park.
End Points
The north end of the Chicago Lakefront Trail system is located at the north end of N. Lake Shore Drive near Foster Beach.
The south end of the trail system is located at E. 71st Street near the South Shore Cultural Center.
Resources
Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the Chicago Lakefront Trail in Chicago, Illinois.
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