Map of bike paths / walking paths in Lake County

Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Lake County, Illinois

Lake County is located in the northeast corner of Illinois and just south of the border with Wisconsin. The major cities and towns in Lake County include: Waukegan, Winthrop Harbor, Zion, North Chicago, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Anticoch, Vernon Hills, Wadworth, Arlington Heights, Deer Park and Des Plains.

There are numerous recreational trails in this area. Many are regional recreational trails that connect communities and travel across the countryside. There are also trailswithin the forest preserves and local parks as well as those located in the residential neighborhoods.

Robert McClory Bike Path

The Robert McClory Bike Path is a 25-mile long paved and unpaved pathway located in the northeast corner of the State of Illinois. The trail is also referred to as the Green Bay Bike Trail. The trail was constructed along an abandoned railroad right-of-way and takes a straight route in the north/south direction. The trail goes through the urban and suburban areas north of Chicago. The trail is mostly unpaved with a crushed limestone surface in the Waukegan area and to the north.

The Robert McClory Bike Path connects with the Kenosha County Bike Trail on the north end. It also intersects with the North Shore Bike Path in Lake Bluff for those that want to head east to the Des Plains River Trail.

The north end of the Robert McClory Bike Path is located at Russell Road, 0.2 miles east of Willow Hollow Lane, in Winthrop Harbor on the Illinois/Wisconsin Border. This point is the south end of the paved Kenosha County Bike Trail that heads 3.5 miles to the north as far as Anderson Park on the south side of the City of Kenosha. The south end is located in North Chicago.

Read more about the Robert McClory Bike Path

Des Plaines River Trail

The Des Plaines River Trail is a 60-mile long mostly unpaved pathway that is located about 5 to 10 miles west of the shores of Lake Michigan in Northeastern Illinois. The trail runs in a north to south direction and extends almost to the Wisconsin border. The Des Plaines River Trail meanders through the natural areas and parkland that remain along the Des Plaines River. This includes thick forests, wetlands and open meadows. The trail also goes through numerous communities and connects to several other local trails.

Read more about the Des Plaines River Trail

Skokie Valley Bike Path

The Skokie Valley Bike Path is a 9.5-mile long paved pathway located in the communities of Lake Forest and Highland Park in Lake County on the north side of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The trail runs in a north to south direction alongside State Highway 41 through residential areas. The trail is open for bike riding, running and walking.

The north end of the Skokie Valley Bike Path is located at Rockland Road in the community of Lake Bluff. At this location the trail intersects with the bike path along Rockland Road, allowing trail users to travel 1 mile east to the Robert McClory Bike Path and the Lake Bluff CTA Station. They can also travel 3.4 miles west to the Des Plaines River Trail.

The south end of the Skokie Valley Bike Path is located at Lake Cook Road and Skokie Boulevard.

Read more about the Skokie Valley Bike Path

Millennium Trail

The Millennium Trail is a 12-mile long mostly unpaved pathway located in the western side of Lake County. Much of the trail is located in within forest preserves. The trail travels through the communities of Lindenhurst, Venetian Village, Avon Township, Third Lake and Round Lake Beach.

Read more about the Millennium Trail

Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Lake County in Northeastern Illinois.