Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Kane County area
Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Kane County, Illinois
Kane County, Illinois
Click on the key symbol in the main map to zoom into specific trails.
BIKE PATHS / WALKING PATHS
RELATED LINKS
Kane County is located to the west of the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area in Northeastern Illinois. The larger cities within Kane County include Aurora, St. Charles and Elgin.
Kane County has several regional recreational trails for bike riding and walking that span for miles and connect multiple communities. These trails include the Fox River Trail, the Virgil L. Gilman Nature Trail, the Great Western Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path. There are also numerous recreational trails that are located in the forest preserves and parks, wander through residential neighborhoods or follow alongside major roadways.
Fox River Trail
The Fox River Trail is a system of paved trails that follows the Fox River as it meanders through Kane County and Kendall County in Northeastern Illinois. The trail system is located in the northwestern portion of the greater Chicago Metro area. The Fox River Trail connects numerous local parks, forest preserves and other attractions along the river. It also allows connections to many of the other recreational trails in the area.
The trail goes through the downtown areas of Elgin, South Elgin, St. Charles, Batvia and Aurora.
Read more about the Fox River Trail
Great Western Trail
The Great Western Trail consists of two separate lengthy unpaved pathways. Both portions of the trail were constructed along an abandoned railroad right-of-way and have a surface of crushed limestone. The western portion spans from Sycamore to St. Charles within Kane County. The eastern portion spans from its intersection with the Illinois Prairie Path in the community of West Chicago to South Villa Avenue in Villa Park within DuPage County.
Read more about the Great Western Trail
Virgil L. Gilman Nature Trail
The Virgil L. Gilman Nature Trail and the V. L. Gilman Trail are paved pathways located in and around Aurora within Kane County. The Virgil L. Gilman Nature Trail is managed by Kane County Forest Preserve District. The V. L. Gilman Trail is managed by the Fox Valley Park District.
The two trails form an 11-mile long paved pathway that extends from the Waubonsee Community college campus to Hill Avenue in Aurora. There is an 7.5 mile long section, then a gap, then a 3.5 mile long section.
The trails go past numerous forest preserves, across the Fox River and right by Blackberry Farm which is a living history museum where they have recreated pioneer life. The Virgil L Gilman trails also connect to a number of other recreational trails along their route.
Read more about the Virgil L. Gilman Nature Trail
Illinois Prairie Path
The Illinois Prairie Path is a 61-mile long system of unpaved pathways located in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties in Northeastern Illinois. The trail was the first Rails-To-Trails conversion in the United States and dates back to the 1960s. There are several branches of the trail system within Kane County where the Illinois Prairie Path allows a connection to the Fox River Trail. These points include South Elgin, Geneva, Batvia and Aurora. The branches of the Illinois Prairie path then connect in DuPage County and end at Butterfield Road in the community of Hillside.
The lengthy trail system branches out in several directions and serves several communities. The route goes past numerous parks and forest preserves. The trail also intersects with other major recreational trails in the area and with pathways and hiking trails in the forest preserves.
Read more about the Illinois Prairie Path
Resources
Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Kane County, Illinois.
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