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It’s Time to Take a Hike in Spectacular Chicago!
The best way to experience Chicagoland is by hiking it! Get outdoors with Illinois author Ted Villaire as he helps you find and enjoy the top hikes within 60 miles of the city. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected trails transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body.
Go bird-watching at Goose Lake Prairie. Immerse yourself in history along the I&M Canal Trail. Experience breathtaking views from secluded Lake Michigan beaches. Marvel at the awe-inspiring sand dunes in Northwest Indiana. With a highly accomplished outdoors writer as your guide, you’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of Chicago’s best hikes!
Each hike description features key at-a-glance information on distance, difficulty, scenery, traffic, hiking time, and more, so you can quickly and easily learn about each trail. Detailed directions, GPS-based trail maps, and elevation profiles help to ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. Tips on nearby activities further enhance your enjoyment of every outing.
Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor to the area, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Chicago provides plenty of options for a couple hours or a full day of adventure, all within about an hour from Chicago and the surrounding communities.
Ted Villaire is the author of Best Bike Rides Chicago, Best Rail Trails Illinois, Road Biking Illinois, and Camping Illinois (all for FalconGuides) in addition to this guidebook. He has worked as a reporter for numerous daily and weekly newspapers and is currently communications director for the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for better biking, walking, and public transport in the Chicago area. He also frequently gives presentations about local biking and hiking opportunities. Ted holds a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a master’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago. He and his wife, Christine, live on Chicago’s Northwest Side. Visit his website, tedvillaire.com, or email him at ted@tedvillaire.com.
Overview Map
Map Legend
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface
60 Hikes by Category
Introduction
COOK COUNTY
- Chicago Botanic Garden Hike
- Crabtree Nature Center Hike
- Deer Grove Loop
- Des Plaines River Trail: North Avenue to Chevalier Woods
- Humboldt Park Lagoon and Prairie River Loop
- Jackson Park Loop
- Lake Katherine Hike
- Palos–Sag Valley Trail System: Cap Sauers and Swallow Cliff Loop
- Palos–Sag Valley Trail System: Country Lane Loop
- Palos–Sag Valley Trail System: Little Red Schoolhouse Hike
- South Lakefront Trail
DuPAGE COUNTY AND DESTINATIONS WEST
- Blackwell Forest Preserve Hike
- Danada Forest Preserve Hike
- Dick Young Forest Preserve Hike
- Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve Loop
- Greene Valley Forest Preserve Loop
- Morton Arboretum: East Hike
- Pratt’s Wayne Loop
- Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area Loop
- Silver Springs State Park Loop
- Tekakwitha–Fox River Hike
- Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve Loop
NORTH CHICAGOLAND AND WISCONSIN
- Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park: Dead River Loop
- Bong State Recreation Area Loop
- Bristol Woods Hike
- Chain O’ Lakes State Park Hike
- Des Plaines River Trail: Old School to Independence Grove
- Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Hike
- Geneva Lake: North Shore Hike
- Glacial Park Loop
- Lakewood Forest Preserve Loop
- Marengo Ridge Hike
- Moraine Hills State Park Hike
- Ryerson Woods Hike
- Veteran Acres–Sterne’s Woods Hike
- Volo Bog State Natural Area Hike
NORTHWEST INDIANA AND ENVIRONS
- Deep River Hike
- Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park Hike
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Bailly–Chellberg Hike
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Cowles Bog Loop
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Glenwood Dunes Hike
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Miller Woods Hike
- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: West Beach Loop
- Indiana Dunes State Park: Dune Ridge Loop
- LaSalle Fish and Wildlife Area Loop
- Oak Ridge Prairie Loop
- Warren Dunes State Park Loop
SOUTH CHICAGOLAND AND THE ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY
- Buffalo Rock State Park Hike
- Goodenow Grove Hike
- Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area Hike
- I&M Canal State Trail and McKinley Woods Hike
- Iroquois County State Wildlife Area Hike
- Joliet Iron Works Hike
- Kankakee River State Park Hike
- Matthiessen State Park: Dells Area Hike
- Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Hike
- Pilcher Park Loop
- Starved Rock State Park: East Hike
- Starved Rock State Park: West Hike
- Thorn Creek Hike
APPENDIX A: OUTDOOR STORES
APPENDIX B: PLACES TO BUY MAPS
APPENDIX C: HIKING CLUBS
Index
About the Author