Not sure what to bring hiking? Check out my hiking essentials for a day on the trail. ($11 daily pass for out of state vehicles, $38 annual pass) Now that I live in the city, I prefer to head up and camp the night before so I can get an early start on the trails. This is a Wisconsin State Park, so you’ll need to get a vehicle sticker to park at any trailheads. The Ice Age Trail also runs through this area. Across the road, you’ll find the very popular John Muir mountain bike trails. As the name suggests, these are used for XC ski in the winter. Each intersection is marked with a number corresponding to the maps. The Blue Loop is 9.2 miles, but there are many loops within this one and you can shorten your hike at any time. The Nordic Trails at Kettle Moraine offers some pretty cool glacial terrain that’s as close as you’ll get to mountain hiking. It’s a bit farther from the city, but I used to come here often when I lived in the Northwest suburbs because it’s my favorite on this list. If you are looking for a challenging hike near Chicago, this is the place.
The trail has several water crossings, which are great for the dogs, and even a few waterfalls, which are kind of rare around Chicago! Nordic Trails – Kettle Moraine South Unit – Eagle, WI Unlike other spots I’ve mentioned, there aren’t a lot of trail options here, so you have to commit to the 9.5 miles.
The main trail here is 9.5 miles, so it’s a great place to go for those training hikes where you need a lot of miles. Waterfall Glen Forest Preserveĭrive from Chicago: 25 miles / 35-45 minutesĪ bit farther than Palos Hills and just outside Cook County, Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve has the longest single loop I’ve found in the area. Swallow Cliff Woods is also in this area, and you’ll find lots of people training on the steep staircase next to the toboggan area. We like the 5.5-mile orange loop as it has a good balance of single-track dirt trails and crushed gravel paths. Each intersection is well marked with trail maps and markers, so you can choose your route as you go. As with many of Cook County hiking trails, there are several different loops that you can combine to design a hike of any length. It’s a great area with lots of hills and trails that are very popular with mountain bikes and hikers. I like to enter at Red Gate Woods and hook up to the trail system from there. There are several interconnected forest preserves in the Willow Springs area, southwest of Chicago. This is really the jewel of Cook County Forest Preserves! Palos Hills Forest Preserveĭrive from Chicago: 25 miles / 35 minutes There are a few stream crossings along the way for your pup to grab a sip or cool her paws.ĭeer Grove East features a 2.8 mile paved walking loop, as well as a model airplane field. Other trails criss-cross the yellow, so you can cater your hike to any length you want. From here, you can access a network of crushed gravel trails, including the 5.4-mile Yellow trail. I like to park at the Deer Grove West parking lot on Dundee Road. My favorite Chicago hiking trails in the northwest suburbs are at Deer Grove in Palatine. There are many options for loops in this area.įind other places to kayak near Chicago! Deer Grove Forest Preserveĭrive from Chicago: 30 miles / 45 minutes Starting on Tower Road, you will head north to Dundee Road and then go East to catch the trail south again. Parking along Tower Road, you can join up with the North Branch Trail for a 4.5-mile loop around the lagoons. You’ll find canoe & kayak rentals here if you want to get out on the water. I started visiting Skokie Lagoons with a local kayak club. The Chicago hiking trail closest to the city is Skokie Lagoons. Skokie Lagoons Forest Preserveĭrive from Chicago: 20 miles / 25-30 minutes Buying through these links will not cost you extra, but I will earn a small commission. The book includes the best Chicago hiking, although there are a few botanical centers and state park areas that do not allow dogs, so I’ve compiled this list of my favorite dog-friendly hiking trails near Chicago.Ĭheck out my guide to Chicago neighborhoods and find dog-friendly hotels in Chicago! While Illinois is not known as an outdoor recreation paradise, there is some pretty good hiking near Chicago. When I moved here, I bought the book 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles and proceeded to work my way through nearly all of the hiking trails near Chicago. Whether you live in Chicago or are just visiting, getting outside the city for some time with Mama Nature is always a good thing.
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