Map of bike paths / walking paths in McHenry County

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in McHenry County, Illinois

McHenry County is location to the northwest of Chicago and along the Wisconsin border in Northeastern Illinois. The landscape of McHenry County is rural farmland, forest preserves, large lakes, rivers and creeks, residential neighborhoods and local towns. The cities and towns in McHenry County include: Woodstock, Lawrence, Harvard, Hebron, Richmond, Wonder Lake, McHenry, Crystal Lake, Cary, Algonquin, Huntley, Harmony, Riley, Marengo and Union.

There are regional recreational trails that pass through McHenry County as well as numerous trails in the forest preserves, the local parks and wandering through the residential neighborhoods.

Prairie Trail

The Prairie Trail is a 26-mile long paved and unpaved pathway that extends the south side of Genoa City on the border with Wisconsin to Algonquin in Northeastern Illinois. The trail was constructed along the railroad right-of-way of the former Chicago & Northwestern rail line that runs in a north-to-south direction on the western outskirts of the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area.

The Prairie Trail goes through the beautiful countryside of Northeastern Illinois. The tree lined trail has a route that goes through open farm land, through thickly forested stretches, over creeks and through several towns and cities within McHenry County, including Richmond, McCullom Lake, McHenry and Crystal Lake.

Read more about the Prairie Trail

Hebron Trail

The Hebron Trail is a 7.6-mile long unpaved pathway that spans between Hebron and the Prairie Trail at Richmond just south of the border with Wisconsin. The west end of the trail is located at Chuch Street in Hebron. The trail takes a diagonal route to the northeast, going through open farmland. On the east side of Keystone Road the trail wanders through natural areas and wetlands. The east tne of the trail meets up with the Prairie Trail to the northwest of Richmond.

Huntley-Union-Marengo Trail

The Huntley Union-Marengo Trail is a 3.25-mile long paved pathway that spans betweeen the communities of Marengo and Union on the southwest quarter of McHenry County. The trail follows a railroad right-of-way and goes through open farmland. The east end of the trail is located at S East Street in Marengo. The west end of the trail is located at Vine Street in Union.

Stone Mill Trail

The Stone Mill Trail is a 1.5-mile long paved pathway located between the communities of Chemung and Harvard in the northwest sector of McHenry County.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in McHenry County in Northeastern Illinois.