Chicago Lakefront Trail – an 18.5 mile trail you pick up on East Lakeshore Drive and it goes up to Rogers Park. Congested but you are along Lake Michigan.
Fox River Bike Trail – A Beautiful Trail That Runs from Aurora, Illinois to Crystal Lake. To get a map. You can travel all or part of it and has river views and wooded areas. Paved trail
Green Bay Bike Trail is 8.9 miles runs along the east side of Chicago’s commuter rail. It goes through North Shore towns and the trail is paved in some parts and crushed stone in other parts. To get the the Wilmette trail head take Interstate 94 to exit 34 (Lake Ave), go east for 2 miles to Green Bay Road. Go north on Green Bay Road and take an right on Forest Avenue–there is a trail crossing at Forest Avenue. If you take the Highland Park trail head take US Route 41 to Highland Park, go east on Deerfield road, turn left on Central Avenue for a half a mile, turn South on St. John’s Avenue to the Metra parking lot where you pick up the trail. Here’s the cool part…according to wikipedia the Green Bay Trail dates back 12,000 years when wooly mammoths traveled along it during migration during the ICE AGE. To get a map.
Cook County Nature Preserve – There are over 100 miles of paved bicycle trails and 200 miles of multi-use trails. While there are a number of bicycle trails, the North Branch which is an urban trail and the Salt Creek which is forested. For more info about the different bike trails and maps.
Des Plaines River Trail has a north and south part. To get a map. The South portion runs from Route 21 or Milwaukee Avenue from Lake Cook Road (parallel) north to Wilmot Wood which is just north of Route 176. The North portion runs from Wilmot Woods to Van Patten Woods. There are wooded and water views. Crushed stone trail.
