Cook County Trails
Busse Woods Bicycle Trail
Salt Creek Bicycle Trail
I & M Canal Bicycle Trail

Kane County Trails
Fox River Bike Trail
Great Western Trail
Virgil Gilman Trail

Grundy, LaSalle & Will County Trail
I & M Canal State Trail

Bonus: A handy chart of 41 trails!

Busse Woods Bicycle Trail
The Busse Woods Bicycle Trail is located throughout the Ned Brown Preserve in Cook County, Illinois. This beautifully paved trail is 11.2 miles long and winds through the meadows and forests around Busse Lake providing access to many unique features. You can ride through a mature forest past a herd of elk, then head for the lake to watch the sailboats. If you've brought your fishing gear, you can try to catch a northern pike at one of the six fishing walls.

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Salt Creek Bicycle Trail
This 6.6-mile paved asphalt path is located in west central Cook County, and runs from Bemis Woods South to Brookfield Woods, directly across from the Brookfield Zoo. The trail winds through the wooded forest preserves as it provides access to various picnic groves and other points of interest. This trail offers bicycle riders a scenic and relaxing route to the Brookfield Zoo. There are five street crossings, with heavy traffic at several, and narrow side trails head off along the creek and into the woods.

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I & M Canal Bicycle Trail (Cook County)
This historic 8.9-mile bike trail starts near Willow Springs. From the parking lot you can head northeast or southwest. Heading northeast, the asphalt trail leads through woods that have grown since use of the canal was discontinued in 1933. The trail is shady and peaceful with little traffic noise until you approach the I-294 underpass 1.6 miles out. Just past the interstate, the trail turns back southwest paralleling the Sanitary and Ship Canal. This segment is 20-foot-wide and is sometimes used as a service road. This northern section is a 3.3-mile loop. At an intersection 2.3 miles out is another 3.3-mile loop along the canal. The path to the right passes two railroad crossings as well as an entrance road into a chemical company. The trail ends at the Route 83 overpass and heads back northeast to the trailhead. With mostly flat terrain and few street crossings, this is a good spot for beginning bicyclists or inline skaters.

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Fox River Bike Trail
This beautifully designed and maintained trail is one of my favorite local trails during all seasons. The trail runs 35 miles from Crystal Lake to Aurora along the scenic Fox River. Take time to enjoy the wealth of wildlife that use the river and wetlands. The surface is asphalt on some sections and crushed stone on others. It provides connections with the 55 mile Illinois Prairie Path, the Virgil Gilman Trail, and many other local pathways in charming communities. These connections provide so many options for a variety of day trips. So much to see...waterfalls, parks, windmills, and great restaurants in Geneva and St. Charles areas. This trail is a "must do!"

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Great Western Trail
A major rails-to-trails conversion, the 18 mile Great Western Trail between St. Charles and Sycamore in Kane and DeKalb counties stands on the former site of the Chicago and North Western Railroad line. The 10-foot-wide crushed limestone trail runs east to west on an elevated road bed through a forest preserve, farmland, residential neighborhoods, and some business and industrial areas. The eastern trailhead is in downtown Villa Park, with plenty of parking available. The western trailhead is inaccessible by car (but is accessible by bike or foot via the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) near Timber Ridge Forest Preserve) just north of Wheaton. There are long stretches in between without access to drinking fountains, so bring water during hot weather. While the Great Western does not compare with the IPP for scenic views for much of its route, it is very well maintained and serves as an effective off-road connecting path with the IPP, the forest preserves, and communities along the way. Here's a pretty good map.

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Virgil Gilman Trail
This shady 10.5 paved trail runs southeast from Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove to Aurora. The eastern section of the trail crosses Waubonsee Creek and the Fox River as it runs through residential neighborhoods on the south side of Aurora.
The western section passes through woodlands along Blackberry Creek.

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I & M Canal State Trail (Will County)
This trail is another of my local favorites. The 61 mile limestone trail begins in Channahon and extends to LaSalle/Peru along the I & M towpath. Channahon State Park is the official trailhead, and is a great spot to enjoy a stamina-filled lunch. The canal once was part of an important transportation network linking Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico. The waterfall is one of my favorites. Historic buildings, the Des Plaines River, the Illinois River, the I & M Canal, bluffs, locks, and historic buildings and towns are some of the highlights of this trail.

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