Leash up the pup and prepare to stretch your legs along Illinois’ most picturesque trails.
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Do n’t permit Illinois ’ repute as thesecond flattest land in the countryfool you — in plus to Chicago ’s towering architecture , you need n’t venture far to immerse yourself in charm nature . From craggy drop and sprawl prairie to cascading falls , bowlder fields , and amber wave of grain for days , the Prairie State ’s rural expanses are almost as photogenic as its metropolitan skyline . While Chicagoans are spoiled by a wealth of urban ballpark and trails , likeThe 606andNortherly Island , the city is also conveniently snug to a overplus of other green space and outdoorsy oases .
As the winter thaw makes way for fountain , and as city - dwellers emerge from their mantle fortress , there ’s never been a better clock time to get reacquainted with fresh zephyr . So for those who prefer a hike with a little more peacefulness than , say , theLakefront Trail , which can feel as crowded as Lollapalooza on any given good - weather weekend , wad up the essentials , waiting line up your GPS , and strike the route for a day trip to these amazing hikes near Chicago .
The Morton Arboretum
LaBagh Woods
Lincolnwood , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:11 air mile ; 20 - moment driveHike distance:5.7 milesLike Chicago ’s very own Hundred Acre Wood , this lavishly wooded 5.7 - mile grummet is locate at the southern entrance of the well - knownNorth Branch Trail System . For a trail that ’s still so penny-pinching to the city , it ’s amazing how unagitated it feel as the hike weaves along paths canopied by large oaks , maples , and cottonwoods , and alongside wetland , savannah , and meadows . One of the most beautiful features is the meander Chicago River slicing through the landscape , as well as the chance to witness a host of wildlife like owls , cervid , coyotes , hawks , and more . Whether you confide to a portion of the track or take on the whole loop — which in general takes around two hours — be sure to check the map , as some visitor have notice that trails can be a bit slick to follow . If you ’re itching for more , nearbyForest Glen Woodshas your back with endless additional miles of outdoor adventuring .
Swallow Cliff Woods
Palos Park , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:23.6 miles ; 30 - instant driveHike distance:8.1 milesThis 800 - Akko nature preserve mesh by the Cook County Forest Preserve District is probably best known for its 100 - foot bluff and demand limestone stair physical exertion , but it also features a riches of natural district to research . For an medium voyage , bump off the 8.1 - mile Yellow Unpaved Loop , a mixed - use gravel and stone lead throughSag Valleythat departs from the Swallow Cliff Woods - South parking lot . The picturesque path wreathe through the 1,520 - acreCap Sauers Holding Nature preserves — one of the most distant spots in Cook County complete with undisturbed wooded bluff and ravine , wetland , and idyllic prairie . You ’ll also pass through Teason ’s Woods , Swallow Cliff Woods - North ( with the illustrious Swallow Cliff Stairs ) , Palos Park Woods , and Paddock Woods . The hill rise between McClaughrey Springs Woods and Forty Acre Woods play as an append challenge before arriving back at the south parking lot .
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve
Darien , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:23.3 miles ; 30 - minute driveHike distance:9.7 milesThe Forest Preserve District of DuPage County offer the perfect daytime trek through nearly 2,500 - acres of prairie , savannas , and woodlands . Hikers can research some of the preserve ’s most scenic areas via11 miles of marked limestone- and greensward - cover track . The multi - use , crushed limestone Waterfall Glen Trail encircles the integral park , pause atop a rarified panorama overlooking the Des Plaines River as well as near a gentle waterfall ( dart off the chief way of life via the .2 - air mile Rocky Glen trail to track it down ) . As an added fillip , look out for brusque unmarked trail branching off the principal path — they’ll guide you through a mesmerizing landscape painting formed by glacial movement during the last ice years .
Ned Brown Forest Preserve/Busse Woods
Rolling Meadows , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:24 mi ; 30 - minute driveHike distance:12.9 milesPopularly known as Busse Woods , the 3,558 - Akka Ned Brown Forest Preserve gasconade nearly13 miles of paved trailsthrough timberland and marsh areas plus an elk pasture and one of the largest sportfishing , boat , and kayaking waters in Cook County . Shorter lead segments sports fan out from the master paved cringle circle the Busse Reservoir , where there ’s no deficit of wildlife sighting and place to hike up and unwind in ancient highland forests with beautiful water views .
The Morton Arboretum
Lisle , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:27 miles ; 31 - minute driveHike distance:16 milesChristmasisn’t the only metre to research The Morton Arboretum . While the botanic mecca puts on a fulgurant exhibit of vacation lights , the park is just as bid in the spring , as flowers bloom anew and 16 miles worth of mulched hiking lead take Explorer through exuberant forests , wetlands , and peaceful prairie . A paved path around Meadow Lake offers a leisurely half - international mile jaunt , or traverse deeper into the woods on the Heritage Trail , which culminates at a 14 - short ton granite bowlder capably dubbed Big Rock .
Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Area
Riverwoods , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:32 nautical mile ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:6.5 milesThis conservation sphere , also known asRyerson Woods , provides a really quiet outflow from the metropolis . Designated as both an Illinois Nature conserves and a Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places , a trek here is rich in natural and cultural story . invent your own path through the conserve ’s 561 acres of land or comply over 6.5 miles of hiking trails and boardwalks snaking past historic building , alongside the bank of the Des Plaines River , and through dense timberland , all the while block up out the racket of dealings and making it feel amazingly withdraw from urban life . You might even spot sheep , goats , and chicken at the modest farm region as well as a few butterfly stroke fluttering around the rainwater garden .
Deer Grove Forest Preserve
Palatine , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:40 miles ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:15.5 milesDeer Grove is the sure-enough forest conserves in Cook County , offering multi - level , mixed - use lead for hikers , rockers , horseback riders , and runners alike . The preserves encompasses rough 1,800 Acre of ravines , timber , savannas , pool , wetlands , and prairies , and its topographical diversity is exactly what throw it so alluring — for both wildlife and people . For hikers , the 3.9 - mile Western Loop is an well-fixed route and can be fill out in less than two easy hour , while the temperate 5.7 - mile Yellow Loop Trail boast a few more side and promises to get you back to where you started in a piddling over two hr if you pluck . Be sure tocheck out the mapfor a leaning of trails before you guide out , and if you ’re aim to picnic the good afternoon away , head to Deer Grove East , where shelters , comforter station , and water supply fountains await .
While you ’re there , deliberate popping over toBuffalo Creek Forest Preserve , a 408 - Akka suburban sanctuary run along with 5.5 miles of crushed rock paths , bridge , and boardwalk . Bonus ? If you work your own retinal rod , you might even be capable to catch a Pisces the Fishes or two in the well - carry reservoir .
Joliet Iron Works Historic Site
Joliet , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:40.1 mi ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:.59 mile of paved historic site trail ; also provides access to the 7.57 - mile , crushed limestone / paved I&M Canal TrailThis short paved lead wander through the ruins of the Joliet Iron and Steel Works — once the second - large steel mill in the U.S.—provides a fascinating view on the iron and steel product process from the late 1800s to the former 1900s . After taking over the 52 - acre land site in the nineties , the Forest Preserve District of Will County installed signage along the itinerary , so tramper can take a self - steer interpretive tour of structures from the razed factory . Visitors can opt to lengthen their stoppage by hopping onto the nearbyIllinois and Michigan Canal Trail , which stretches 7.57 miles from the iron works north through Lockport to Romeoville , where it colligate to theCentennial Trail .
Indiana Dunes National Park
Chesterton , IndianaDistance from Chicago:46 miles ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:3.4 miles ( plus 0.9 - international mile Dunes Succession Hike)Whodathunk that , mere miles from city limits , you might find yourself in a national park that looks more like Maui than the Midwest ? saunter the sandyIndiana Dunes National Parkvia the moderate three - loopWest Beach Trailsto experience what Carl Sandburg deemed the " Grand Canyon of the Midwest . " Climb mountainous dunes , wind through sequester woods , skirt an ancient marsh , and end within a stone - skipping distance of Lake Michigan ’s olympian coastline , which showcases the Chicago sensible horizon from across the way . Tack on the 0.9 - air mile Dunes Succession Hike for larger-than-life views of the lakeside . The common is rife with additionaleasy - going and challenge trailslike the Calumet Dunes Trail and Cowles Bog Trail , permit trekkers sizeable opportunities to explore the shoreline dunescape , shaded hollows , and boggy wetlands .
Moraine Hills State Park
McHenry , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:50.5 miles ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:3.7 milesNamed after the term for a geological formation deposited by a retreat glacier , almost half of Moraine Hills State Park ’s 2,200 Acre is composed of wetland and lake . Fortunately , more than10 miles of trailsare well - fit for passing tramp , showcasing the park ’s scenic kettle - moraine topography and offering plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities . Start with the easygoing 3.7 - mi Lake Defiance Trail , a broken limestone loop that arch around Lake Defiance and the surrounding timber . The glistening 48 - acre lake in the nerve of the common is one of the few glacial lake in Illinois that ’s maintain its stunning penny-pinching - natural commonwealth .
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Lake County Forest Preserves: Des Plaines River Trail and Greenway
Wadsworth , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:52.1 mile ( to north end of trail ) ; 1 - hour driveHike distance:31.4 milesWhile the North Branch Trail between Caldwell and Devon Avenues and the Chicago Botanic Garden is deservedly fear , the Des Plaines River Trail winding along its namesake river is an surpassing Chicagoland exploit for tramper and bikers alike . The 31 - air mile reaching blow over through both theForest Preserves of Cook Countyand theLake County Forest Preserves . Spanning Lake County fromLake Cook Road to the Illinois - Wisconsin border , you ’ll twist through 12 timberland conserve and can choose a fortune to hike based on your scenic stake with spate of itinerary access points , parking , and extra link up trails along the style . Harry Bridges and underpasses along the crushed rock path help avoid busy roadways for uninterrupted trail time through timber , meadows , savannah , lake , and wetlands .
Kankakee River State Park
Bourbonnais , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:60 mi ; 1 - hr driveHike distance:3 milesOutdoor enthusiasts regain this park ’s abundant wildlife and of course transport river unexcelled and it ’s long been a popular destination for fishing , canoeing , tramp , and bivouacking . The 4,000 - acre ballpark andtrail systemrun along both sides of an 11 - Swedish mile stint of the Kankakee River . Hiking , biking , and fussy - country ski lead skirt the river ’s north side while those to the south are seamster made for hogback riders and snowmobilers . The three - mile , part pave Rock Creek Trail follows the eponymous creek through wooded bluffs and limestone canyons on the way to a frothy falls . Trail - goers look for more of a challenge can also embark on a moderate 10.6 - mile path along the mostly tree - traverse banks of the river with James Jerome Hill acclivity on the west end of the lead .
Glacial Park
Ringwood , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:62.1 miles ; 1.5 - hour driveHike distance:2.1 milesTraverse the gravel hill ( or kames ) , cattail marshland , and leatherleaf bogs leave alone behind by ice geezerhood glacier that once dominated this 400 - Akko nature conserves send amid 3,000 unaffected acres . Part of the McHenry County Conservation District and Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge , the park is one of the top five surface area to consider migrant wetland razzing in the area . The two - mileInterpretive Nature Trailfollows the Deerpath Trail grommet — stock up on paired guide for deeper insight into the region ’s plants , wildlife , geology , and history as you go . Other activities admit hiking or hogback riding along more than eight miles of designated parking lot trail , angle the shoreline of Nippersink Creek , or cycle a five - mile circumstances of the 26 - mile Prairie Trail hedge the park ’s eastern bound .
Big Foot Beach State Park
Lake Geneva , WisconsinDistance from Chicago:83.7 international nautical mile ; 1.5 - hr driveHike distance:5 milesCome winter , Lake Geneva is a veritable wintertime wonderlandon par with something out ofFrozen . Among the residential district ’s arcadian , snow - swept destinations , Big Foot Beach State Park beckons with five miles worth of grumpy - country skiing trail — but once the deoxyephedrine thaws , said track melt back into hiking terrain . In bitchiness of its name , Big Foot Beach is neither home to any Bigfoot , nor all that big , but this is intelligibly a case of quality over measure . Nestled right on the eastern shores of Lake Geneva , the 271 - acre park is a go - to for swim , picnicking , fishing , and camping , but hiking trails offer an chance to delve a piffling deeper into that Wisco peach . legion routes twist their style through thick forests and wetlands , with the 2.5 - mile Green Trail being the longest outing .
Rock Cut State Park
Loves Park , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:90 miles ; 1.5 - minute driveHike distance:40 milesRock Cut State Park is a great terminus for anyone aim to get away urban center life for a few blissful hours . Its 3,092 land are strewn with wildflowers and wildlife , and you could cull your poisonous substance between hike , seasonal hunting , biking , swimming , camping , and fishing . Two onsite lakes — Pierce Lake and Olson Lake — provide visitant opportunities for waterfront thrills including kayaking and gravy boat rental . After sudate it out , recharge atThe Lone Rock Cafe , stashed just off Pierce Lake .
Starved Rock State Park
Oglesby , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:93 miles ; 2 - hour driveHike distance:4.7 milesStarved Rock State Park ’s 18 beautiful canyons , many of which feature trance waterfalls , andmore than 13 air mile of trailsnear the Illinois River emphatically justify a visit . You ’ll want to budget plenty of time to research the dramatic cliffs and rock and roll organization ( like the common ’s namesake 125 - foot butte overlooking the river ) and moss - traverse stone walls formed by frigid meltwater , which slice through sandstone bluff . The Illinois Canyon Trail ( 9.4 mile out and back ) is one of the only untouched trails in the park ( no man - made walk or stairs here ) . And after a heavy rainfall , you ’ll not only attain a falls at the trail ’s goal , but also up to five other smaller waterfalls along the way .
Matthiessen State Park
Utica , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:95.9 miles ; 2 - time of day driveHike distance:3.2 milesNext door to the popularStarved Rock State Park , you ’ll obtain similar glacier - carved geological wonder and lush forests minus all the crowds at this nigh 2,000 - Accho state green . Five miles of well - stigmatize trails — the upper arena and bluff tops are categorized as comfortable while the inner lead of the two dells are designated as more challenging — steer through the unexpected Midwest landscape and chair to braggart payoffs like scenic purview of the Vermilion River and cascade down falls with telling pearl . Hike the upper and low-spirited dell via theDells Canyon and Bluff Trailsand make your way along steep drop - offs and through deep , jaw - shed canon before cooling off in the creek and under the Cascade Falls .
Castle Rock State Park
Oregon , IllinoisDistance from Chicago:104.3 geographical mile ; 2 - hour driveHike distance:7 milesWitness sunset - colored sandstone bluffs , reddish - bellied pecker , and swallow up dive for insect while kayaking along the Rock River or bask in the purdah and spy on forest animate being while take on any part of this relief valve ’s sevenmarked hiking track . The ballpark ’s many short , quiet , and epically scenic trail repay adventurers with fantastic views of the river as well as characteristic rock formations , ravine , woodlands , and rolling topography best witness from atop the bluff overlook .
Chicago Outerbelt
Greater Metropolitan ChicagoDistance from Chicago : Mileage and drive metre change look on entree pointHike distance:210 milesPut on your Forrest Gump shoes , because theChicago Outerbeltmerges live woods preserves and park land into one adjacent closed circuit skirt the entire Chicago underground area , producing a gloriously uninterrupted 210 - mile nature track that combines both the urban and the rural . This hike extends from Buckingham Fountain downtown to the south suburb , Occident to the Des Plaines River Trail , and up north to Lake County before circling back to the south via the Chicago lakefront . Along the way , you ’ll cross raw home ground curated by the Chicago Park District , the Forest Preserves of Cook County , and the Forest Preserves of Lake County , pass by by some of the city ’s most democratic attractions and scenic areas on fundament . And tramper with a penchant for kip under the stars can reserve a spot or two at one of the preserve ’s many campgrounds and take their timeexploring the lead ’s unique wild and urban experience from showtime to destination .
