The Grand Illinois Trail

The Grand Illinois Trail is a 475-mile trail through northern Illinois that will link Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River and connect metropolitan Chicago, Rockford and the Quad Cities with rural communities, State Parks and other Illinois attractions.

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The Grand Illinois Trail connects existing trails such as the Chicago Lakefront Bike Path, Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal and Hennepin Canal State Trails, Great River Trail, Pecatonica Prairie Path, Rock River Recreation Path, Long Prairie Trail, Fox River Trail, Illinois Prairie Path and local roads, creating a long distance trail of great variety.

The Grand Illinois Trail is an ongoing Illinois Department of Natural Resources partnership and includes three regional coalitions representing Northeastern Illinois, Canal Country and Northwestern Illinois. Additional partnerships exist with the Illinois Departments of Commerce and Community Affairs and Transportation, the Illinois Historic Presentation Agency, the Illinois Chapter of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the League of Illinois Bicyclists, Illinois Trail Riders and the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

Portions of the Grand Illinois Trail are open now and you can bike, hike, horseback ride, cross country ski, snowmobile, and canoe through the scenic landscape of northern Illinois and along Chicago's Lakefront, Illinois' beautiful rivers, historic canals and scenic country roads.

Here are a few segments of the Grand Illinois Trail you can enjoy now.

• Chicago Lakefront 18.5 miles of paved trail between Bryn Mawr Avenue and 79th Street along Lake Michigan.
  Bike, hike and in-line skate.
• I&M Canal Trail 55 miles of limestone trail between I-55 at Channahan to Lock 14 at LaSalle.
  Bike, hike and cross-country ski.
• Hennepin Canal 17 miles of limestone trail along the feeder canal between Rock Falls and Illinois Route 92.
  Bike, hike, cross-country ski and snowmobile.

  40 miles of mowed towpath between the Green River and Wyanet.
  Mountain bike, hike, horseback ride, cross-country ski and snowmobile.

• Long Prairie Trail 14.5 miles of paved trail through Boone County with trail heads at Capron and Poplar Grove.
  Bike, hike, in-line skate and cross-country ski.
• Great River Trail 8 miles of paved trail between 27th Street in Moline to Hampton.

  8 miles of paved and limestone trail between Ward Road through Fulton north to Lock 13.
  Road. Bike, hike, cross-country ski and snowmobile.

• Rock River Recreation Path 7 miles of paved trail between Davis Park in Rockford to Elmwood Road in Machesney Park.
  Bike, hike and cross-country ski.

To find out more about the Grand Illinois Trail, communicate with:

     Grand Illinois Trail Coordinator
     IL Dept. of Natural Resources
     200 Washington Street
     Oregon, IL 61061

Phone: (815) 732-9072
FAX: (815) 732-4572