Illinois Prairie Path

Explore the western suburbs on this 61-mile hiking, biking and nature trail.

by Contributor at Citysearch

Overview
Set on an abandoned railroad right-of-way, the 61-mile Illinois Prairie Path is made up of several branches that traverse Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. The IPP connects with many other area trails, including Kane County's 56-mile Fox River Trail, giving hikers and bikers access to one of Chicago's largest trail systems.

The Experience
From moderate rides of 23 miles (Wheaton's Volunteer Park to Geneva round-trip) to long-distance endurance tests of nearly 150 miles (Maywood to Genoa City, Wisconsin, round-trip), this path can accommodate the most serious of cyclists. Parks, forest preserves, marshes and communities make up some of the scenery along the trail, making for an enjoyable ride.