Lake Katherine Trail, Palos Heights, Illinois
As an urban nature walk, this is one of the best in the area. Nestled alongside the Calumet-Sag Channel, 136-acre Lake Katherine Preserve features an attractive lake, an arboretum, a waterfall garden, an herb and a conifer ga... trails.com
Palos/sag Valley Forest Preserve: Little Red Schoolhouse Hike...
With 2.5 miles of laid-back hiking and plenty of engaging exhibits, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center is particularly appealing for kids and beginning hikers. The trails run next to Long John Slough, through oak forests an... trails.com
Major Taylor Trail, Chicago, Illinois
The first section of the Major Taylor Trail curves through Dan Ryan Woods Forest Preserve into the historic neighborhood of Beverly. On Longwood Avenue in Beverly, you?ll see a string of sprawling historic mansions of various... trails.com
Centennial And I & M Canal Trails, Willow Springs, Illinois
This route is jammed with scenic vistas and fascinating local history. While tracing the route of the Des Plaines River, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, and the I&M Canal, you?ll pass two museums, several parks, and a co... trails.com
Waterfall Glen, Darien, Illinois
At the glen, trails are 8 feet wide, white-tailed deer are plentiful, and a scattering of pine groves planted long ago by the federal government offers constant changes in color and composition. Though some bikers pedal along... trails.com
Thorn Creek Hike, Steger, Illinois
This lightly used nature preserve is a gem: after exploring the ravines, the pine plantations, the wooded hills, and the streams surrounded by bottomland forest, be sure to check out the former country church that now serves ... trails.com
Pilcher Park Loop, New Lenox, Illinois
Pilcher Park offers an appealing mix of graceful ravines, lush bottomland forest, and small winding streams. Toward the end of the hike, you?ll see a couple of area landmarks from the 1920s: a still used public water well and... trails.com
Chicago Lakeshore Path: South Hike, Chicago, Illinois
Enjoy stunning views of the downtown skyline as you hike along this strip of parkland that links the city and the lake. Pass Chicago landmarks such as Soldier Field, the Field Museum, and Buckingham Fountain. Chicago would be... trails.com
Morton Arboretum East Hike, Lisle, Illinois
Want to check out trees from places such as Korea or Appalachia? Or maybe you?d like to see a sampling of the 43 types of oak trees and 60 types of maple trees that grow here. Tree lovers could be kept busy for weeks explorin... trails.com
The Good Life On Armitage, Chicago, Illinois
Living the good life on Armitage ?even if only for a weekend?is a time and place for dreaming about the future together. Here?s hoping it?s as bright as the gleaming restorations and trendy businesses you?ll enjoy here. You m... trails.com
Illinois & Michigan Canal Trail; Brandon Road Access -...
Although the entire I & M Canal "trail" is much longer, this is a continuous dedicated trail segment. The Brandon Road Access directs cyclists along streets routes to points north and eastward through Joliet to get to the... waymarking.com
Danada Forest Preserve Hike, Naperville, Illinois
Nestled in an unlikely spot between subdivisions and I-88, Danada Forest Preserve offers some terrific hiking through wide-open prairies and gently sloping savannas. Once a training ground for top racehorses, Danada still cat... trails.com
Jackson Park Loop, Chicago, Illinois
At the heart of Jackson Park is a wooded island, a serene Japanese garden, and placid lagoons lined with cattails. Much of this quiet refuge is a remnant of one of the most important events in Chicago history: the World?s Col... trails.com
Chicago, Il: Morton Arboretum Heritage Trail
With more than 3,400 species of trees and plants, the Morton Arboretum is a living museum, a local treasure, and a worthwhile destination west of Chicago. This easy, 1.6-mile walk through the East Woods is a great wa... trimbleoutdoors.com