Trails List

The Forest Preserves features over 350 miles of paved trails and unpaved trails. Please be a courteous trail user: Follow posted signs and our trail rules and etiquette. Please remember that trail use involves risk.

To find a trail near you, try the interactive web map.

  • Arie Crown Trails

    • Location: Countryside & Hodgkins
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 3.4 miles
  • Burnham Greenway Trail System

    This trail on a former railroad right-of-way includes numerous on-street segments and links Eggers Grove to the north with the Thorn Creek Trail System to the south.

    • Location: Burnham, Calumet City, Chicago & Lansing
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 11.5 miles
  • Busse Forest Trails

    Large paved loop circling Busse Reservoir with shorter trail segments fanning out from the loop.

    • Location: Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows & Schaumburg
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 12.9 miles
  • Cal-Sag Trail

    The Cal-Sag Trail will eventually stretch 26 miles from Sag Quarries in Lemont to the Burnham Greenway near the Indiana border. The first 13 miles opened in June 2015.

    • Location: Alsip, Blue Island, Calumet City, Dolton, Lemont, Palos Heights, & Riverdale
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 26.8 miles
  • Centennial Trail

    • Location: Lemont & Willow Springs
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 9.3 miles
  • Crabtree Nature Center Trails

    Crabtree Nature Center offers three unpaved walking trails that wind through woodlands, wetlands and prairies.

    • Location: Barrington Hills
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 3.4 miles
  • Crabtree Trail

    Extend your ride on the paved Crabtree Trail by connecting to the Paul Douglas Trail via the path along Algonquin Rd.

    • Location: Barrington Hills & South Barrington
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.6 miles
  • Dan Ryan Trails

    This mile-long paved loop connects to the Major Taylor Trail.

    • Location: Chicago
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.0 miles
  • Deer Grove Trails

    • Location: Barrington, Deer Park & Palatine
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 15.5 miles
  • Des Plaines River Trail System

    The unpaved Des Plaines River Trail follows its namesake river through more than a dozen forest preserves, allowing visitors to enjoy casual strolls, full-day adventures and anything in between.

    • Location: Chicago, Des Plaines, Glenview, Melrose Park, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Park Ridge, River Forest, Rosemont, Schiller Park & Wheeling
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 28.4 miles
  • Horizon Trails

    A series of unpaved trails connecting Horizon Farm and Spring Lake Nature Preserve with ample space for hiking, biking, equestrian use and cross-country skiing in the winter.

    • Location: Barrington Hills
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.2 miles
  • John Husar I&M Canal Trail

    • Location: Lemont & Willow Springs
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 9.1 miles
  • Kickapoo Woods Trail

    • Location: Dixmoor, Harvey & Riverdale
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.0 miles
  • Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center Trails

    Explore the Little Red Schoolhouse grounds on three unpaved walking trails or the paved accessible garden trail. Connect to the Palos Trail System to extend your walk.

    • Location: Willow Springs
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 2.5 miles
  • Major Taylor Trail

    The Major Taylor Trail runs from Dan Ryan Woods south to Whistler Woods and includes paved segments, off-street paved segments managed by the Chicago Park District, and on-street segments.

    • Location: Chicago & Riverdale
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 8.1 miles
  • Miller Meadow Trail

    • Location: Forest Park, Maywood & North Riverside
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 2.0 miles
  • North Branch Trail System

    The North Branch Trail System offers paved and unpaved trails along approximately 20 miles of the North Branch of the Chicago River, making it a premier biking route in the northern suburbs.

    • Location: Chicago, Glenview, Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie & Winnetka
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 36.7 miles
  • Oak Forest Heritage Preserve Trails

    • Location: Markham & Oak Forest
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 2.5 miles
  • Orland Grassland Trails

    • Location: Orland Hills, Orland Park & Tinley Park
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 13.0 miles
  • Palos Trail System

    The extensive and varied Palos Trail System winds through rolling hills and deep ravines, providing beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes.

    • Location: Hickory Hills, Justice, Palos Hills & Willow Springs
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 42.1 miles
  • Paul Douglas Trail

    The trail network offers diverse options, from paved paths to mountain biking routes. It's perfect for peaceful walks, invigorating hikes and exciting biking. These trails also connect to Crabtree Trail and Nature Center.

    • Location: Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Schaumburg & South Barrington
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 24.8 miles
  • Plum Creek Trail

    • Location: Sauk Village
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.8 miles
  • Poplar Creek Trail System

    • Location: Hoffman Estates & Streamwood
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 20.9 miles
  • River Trail Nature Center Trails

    Explore the River Trail Nature Center grounds on three walking trails or extend your walk on the Des Plaines River Trail System.

    • Location: Northbrook
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 1.7 miles
  • Sag Valley Trail System

    The Sag Valley Trail Systems’ miles of looping and connecting unpaved trails take visitors to some of the most remote areas of Cook County.

    • Location: Homer Glen, Lemont & Palos Park
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 20.4 miles
  • Sagawau Environmental Learning Center Trails

    Explore the Sagawau Environmental Learning Center grounds on four walking trails during spring, summer and fall. During winter, Sagawau’s trails transform to groomed cross-country skiing trails—no walkers allowed.

    • Location: Lemont
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 2.6 miles
  • Salt Creek Trail System

    The Salt Creek Trail System’s paved and unpaved trails run along the Des Plaines River, Salt Creek and Brookfield Zoo, offering visitors views of a glacial valley, gravelly moraine and Salt Creek’s unique pool and riffle environment.

    • Location: Brookfield, Forest View, La Grange Park, Lyons, McCook, North Riverside, Oak Brook, Riverside, Westchester & Western Springs
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 16.4 miles
  • Sand Ridge Nature Center Trails

    Sand Ridge Nature Center offers four walking trails that pass through a number of habitats including prairies, oak savannas and woodlands on ancient beaches and sand dunes, marshes and ponds.

    • Location: South Holland
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 3.9 miles
  • Spring Lake Trails

    • Location: Barrington Hills, East Dundee & Hoffman Estates
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 45.8 miles
  • Thorn Creek Trail System

    Extensive trail system of paved and unpaved trails that connect multiple forest preserves, winding past lakes, wetlands and woodlands.

    • Location: Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Lansing, Lynwood, Park Forest & South Holland
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 23.5 miles
  • Tinley Creek Trail System

    The Tinley Creek Trail System’s three paved loops take visitors over gently rolling hills, through prairies and forests, and alongside wetlands and ravines.

    • Location: Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Orland Park, Palos Heights & Tinely Park
    • Surface: Paved & Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 27.3 miles
  • Trailside Museum of Natural History Trails

    Miles of unpaved walking trails at Trailside Museum wind through Thatcher Woods' beautiful oak woodlands and floodplain forest.

    • Location: River Forest
    • Surface: Unpaved
    • Estimated Total Length: 4.9 miles
  • Vollmer Road Grove Loop

    • Location: Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, Matteson & Olympia Fields
    • Surface: Paved
    • Estimated Total Length: 3.9 miles