The Thorn Creek Trail System’s nearly 23 miles of paved and unpaved trails connect multiple forest preserves, winding past lakes, wetlands and woodlands.
On this page:
Overview & Maps
Thorn Creek Trail System
Location: Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Glenwood, Lansing, Lynwood, Park Forest & South Holland
Surface
Paved & UnpavedEstimated Total Length
23.5 milesHours
Year-round: Sunrise to SunsetClosures & Alerts
Trail Access
Access the Thorn Creek Trail System at any of these forest preserve locations (ordered from West to East). Check out the trail maps listed above to find on-street or bikeway access points.
Recommended Hikes
Introductory
Start and end at the Sauk Trail Woods-Central parking lot
- Length: 3.5 miles
- Surface: Paved
- Terrain: Mostly Flat
If you’re new to the Thorn Creek Trail System, try the 3.5-mile paved Black Paved Loop that winds through Sauk Trail Woods in South Chicago Heights. Here, visitors enjoy hiking, cycling, in-line skating and cross-country skiing in winter.
Begin and finish your journey at the Sauk Trail Woods-Central parking lot off Forest Preserve Drive, where trail information is available. This preserve is a popular stopover for migratory birds in the late fall and early spring. Visitors are treated to colorful displays of wildflowers and a variety of woodland and aquatic plants in spring and summer.
Intermediate
Start and end at Joe Orr Woods Parking Lot
- Length: 7.6 miles
- Surface: Paved
- Terrain: Mostly Flat
For those with more time, try a 7.6 mile hike from Joe Orr Woods to Sweet Woods and back on the Red Paved Trail. Portions of the trail parallel and cross Thorn Creek, excellent for migratory bird watching.
Begin at the Joe Orr Woods parking lot and head north on the Red Paved Trail. Turn around once you reach the parking lot at Sweet Woods.
Advanced
Start and end at Joe Orr Woods Parking Lot
- Length: 18 miles
- Surface: Paved
- Terrain: Mostly Flat
For a real workout, hike or bike the paved Red Paved Trail from
Joe Orr Woods north to Lansing Woods and back, 18 miles round-trip.
Begin at the Joe Orr Woods parking lot and head north on the Red Paved Trail. The trail turns south and then east at Sweet Woods, then north near Lansing Woods. Much of this route parallels the scenic Thorn Creek.