Great Lakes - Looking for hills near Chicago

I know, its flat here.

I went to Poplar Creek for the first time and enjoyed the 9 miles of paved paths there. The path also requires some extra effort due to climbs, and now I want more.

What other rides within 50 miles of O'Hare require some climbing effort?

Michael

Find the Fox river, and pedal away from it.

There are some decent hills in Algonquin, Carpentersville, St. Charles, etc. Not sure that any of them would make for a great biking loop, but I suppose you could work some of them into a jaunt along the Fox River trail.

Bull Valley has some nice hills for repeats. Barrington Hills has a hilly loop that we like to do....

There is nothing even remotely big around here, but there are some leg whackers if you look hard enough.

Bull Valley is nice, but short requiring repeats for true effect. Southern Wisconsin is just a jump, hop, and skip away. i have few routes mapped out over at MapMyRide.

some routes (http://www.mapmyride.com/user_profile?username=aham23)

later.

Find the Fox river, and pedal away from it.

There are some decent hills in Algonquin, Carpentersville, St. Charles, etc. Not sure that any of them would make for a great biking loop, but I suppose you could work some of them into a jaunt along the Fox River trail.

You can do the same, all the way to Ottawa......the while you are there, do Starved Rock and Buffalo Rock.......

I know, its flat here.

Flat, yes. That means the wind can get howling. Wind can be even better than hills.

Find a stretch into the wind (work) then turn around and ride back (recovery) . . . repeat :D

The cheesers, with their great hills, even bow to the wind :eek:

McHenry Prairie Path through Stern's Woods, short but steep hills. Another option is riding east from the Fox River from any point in McHenry of Kane County. The hills are a bit bigger in McHenry.

Head to Wisconsin. Around Lake Geneva there are some steep awesome hills. I'd take the metra to Harvard and it's 7 or so miles from there.

McHenry Prairie Path through Stern's Woods, short but steep hills. Another option is riding east from the Fox River from any point in McHenry of Kane County. The hills are a bit bigger in McHenry.

I've dumped my bike in those woods before. I have also slid off the trail with both tires skidding and traveling sideways.....

....fun stuff.

For those that don't know the McHenry path is just what the Fox River Trail is called once it enters McHenry County....FYI.

The hills around St. Charles are some knee grinders, will give you a workout for sure. I was told that they are the highest in Kane Co, or so Kimbercop says....

Highest or steepest?

I thought Tower Rd was the highest in Kane County.

Hills near Chicago...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sleepy Hollow has some great steep hills for repeats. Crane, Beau Brummel, and Oak Hill (the really steep one in Hickory Hollow).

They are not long, but ride up and down them a few times and you'll feel it.

Highest or steepest?

I thought Tower Rd was the highest in Kane County.


I'm not the know all,say all but.......they are pretty damn steep. I've been on Tower Rd, but I think Town Hall is harder to climb....at least for me.

I'm not the know all,say all but.......they are pretty damn steep. I've been on Tower Rd, but I think Town Hall is harder to climb....at least for me.

The road in Johnson's mound is pretty fun too :D

I'm not the know all,say all but.......they are pretty damn steep. I've been on Tower Rd, but I think Town Hall is harder to climb....at least for me.

Yeah, Tower is not steep, but the top of it is the highest point in the county from what I have heard (can not verify that).

Yeah, Tower is not steep,
A relatively long stretch of approximately 2 or 3% grade is more like it. That's epic around these parts.

but the top of it is the highest point in the county from what I have heard (can not verify that).
My ears pop a few times, so it's gotta be pretty high up there. I'm guessing 4000 feet or so.

Insert big eye roll here!

The road in Johnson's mound is pretty fun too :D

I've been in there too. I kept thinkin' when is this gunna end! Lots of "activity" going on in that place during the lunch hour, if you know what I mean....right out in the open too! :love:

According to netstate.com:

The highest point in Illinois is Charles Mound (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Mound) at 1,235 feet above sea level.

^^^^ i think he was referring to the county (kane) and not the entire state. later.

Go west of where you are currently and he hills will be better than where you are.
Done.
There won't be any significantly high areas since the overall elevation never gets anywhere.
You can find some steep rollers. Head for WI, even in Kenosha and Racine county you'll find some grades. If Psi thinks if wise to have another, join some of us in Central WI in the spring for a ride near New Glarus.

There's always Mount Prospect.

Heh.

I think he must have watched the first Hannibal with Jodi Foster. Where they fly in helicopters over the hills of Calumet City, which by the way is under water at present, to rescue her at the end. It is so obviously not any place near here that it is funny.

torgrot