Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Naperville area

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Naperville, Illinois

Naperville is a large community on the southwestern outskirts of the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Northeastern Illinois. This is an area of residential neighborhoods and farmland.

There are numerous recreational trails for bike riding, walking and running in this part of the state. Regional recreational trails travel through multiple communities along waterways or along abandoned railroad right-of-ways. There are also many neighborhood recrational trails that wander through the neighborhoods and local parks.

Naperville Riverwalk

The Naperville Riverwalk is a system of over 1.75 miles of paved pathways located along the river adjacent to Downtown Naperville. This is a beautiful area with gardens, lush landscaping, covered bridges, inviting walkways, benches and fountains. The walkways connect several parks and other destinations including: Fireman's Memorial Park, Centennial Park, Centennial Beach & Pool, Riverwalk Park, Quarry Lake and the Naperville Public Library.

DuPage River Trail

The DuPage River Trail is an expanding system of paved recreational trails located withing the natural areas along the DuPage River. Within the Naperville area, there are over 15 miles of developed trail in separate secions. The trail connects with the Southern DuPage County Regional Trail in two locations.

A continuous section of the DuPage River Trail is located roughly adjacent to Washington Street from Veterans Park along Edgewater Drive to Knoch Knolls Road. From there the trail follows Knotch Knolls Road to the nature center and then heads east to travel through the natural areas along the river away from roads and traffic. Another 2 mile long section of the trail is located within the Green Valley Forest Preserve.

Read more about the DuPage River 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. The Illinois Prairie Path passes through the northern portion of Naperville.

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

Southern DuPage County Regional Trail

The Southern DuPage County Regional Trail is a 46-mile long system of paved and unpaved trails that passes right through the middle of Naperville. The trails extend from Aurora to Willowbrook in the western portion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The trails include the pathways in Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve, Green Valley Forest Preserve and Waterfall Glen County Forest Preserve.

Read more about the Southern DuPage County Regional Trail

West Branch DuPage River Trail

The West Branch DuPage River Trail is a 5-mile long paved pathway that connects the Naperville Riverwalk with the Illinois Prairie Path. The trail takes a wandering route through the natural areas and parks along the West Branch DuPage River going past residential neighborhoods.

The West Branch DuPage River Trail connects with the Illinois Prairie Path near the intersection of Butterfield Road and Winfield Road in Warrenville. The south end of the West Branch DuPage River Trail is located at W. Jefferson Avenue to the north of the Downtown Naperville area.

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Resources

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