fox river bike trail Northern Illinois

[sherilinn]

Is anyone familiar with this trail? and would I be able to ride it with my Trek 7.5?

[nixternal]

It is a paved trail, so yes, no problem with your 7.5. You can actually ride the Prairie Path and Great Western Trail on the 7.5 as well without any problems. The 7.5 is the perfect bike for riding on crushed limestone, as you get a road-like tire but wider.

[sherilinn]

Thanks Much appreciated

[MJH2]

Looks like your bike comes with 28's for tires? You will have no problems on the River trail. The Prairie Path could be a little mushy depending on conditions (and location... for some reason it's a little more loose though DuPage airport), but the last two times I was on the PP it was firm and fast. There are two non-paved sections of the Fox River Trail (one just south of Elgin, the other immediately north of downtown St. Charles), but you won't have any trouble through either one.

It's the best time of the year to ride the paths... have fun.

[sherilinn]

Looks like your bike comes with 28's for tires? You will have no problems on the River trail. The Prairie Path could be a little mushy depending on conditions (and location... for some reason it's a little more loose though DuPage airport), but the last two times I was on the PP it was firm and fast. There are two non-paved sections of the Fox River Trail (one just south of Elgin, the other immediately north of downtown St. Charles), but you won't have any trouble through either one.

It's the best time of the year to ride the paths... have fun.

Thanks I'm going to ask my son to do it with me. I live in southern Wi right by the border. Do you know how far it is by chance? I think I'm going to get one of those books that has all the trails in Illinois.

[kuan]

They give away free maps at the visitor center in Dundee. They are broken up into sections and each of the maps covers a section of Illinois. I'm not sure about their hours. You can also call the Illinois DOT and ask them to send you maps. I've never tried that.

[nixternal]

Just use Google Maps and make sure that "Bicycling" is checked. This shows updated trail maps. The maps you get from IDOT are 4 or 5 years old. Granted not much has changed since then, but there are a lot of new trails that aren't on the maps.

If you are in or near Genoa City, you can take the Prairie Trail there straight south, it turns into the Fox River trail in Algonquin.

[Psimet2001]

Just use Google Maps and make sure that "Bicycling" is checked. This shows updated trail maps. The maps you get from IDOT are 4 or 5 years old. Granted not much has changed since then, but there are a lot of new trails that aren't on the maps.

If you are in or near Genoa City, you can take the Prairie Trail there straight south, it turns into the Fox River trail in Algonquin.

+1

This is the trail that runs near my house, that I have ridden so many times I have honestly lost count. At one point I commuted to work on it from Elgin to Aurora. Nice thing is that I have ridden it ~40-50 miles North of my house and never hit the end of the trail, and gone probably 60 miles south and never hit the end. I know there are ends, but as of now it might as well run between the poles.

[jebbesen]

I was on it Sat and Sun this past weekend on my road bike (700x25) without any issues.

[lopek77]

Good thread...I'm planning to take my bike with me and to ride some trails there... Looking for something near Bartlett, IL and Wheeling, IL since I will be in these two cities for few days. I'm still not sure what bike I will take there. I love rails to trails ... any tips or ideas ?
Thanks!

[nixternal]

Lopek, I am in the Bartlett area. Head west on Army Trail Road to the Prairie Path. Of if you are near Stearns you can head west on it to the Prairie Path. Head east of Wheeling and there is a great path that runs to the Wisconsin border, paved. Also, I think the Salt Creek path goes through Wheeling.

[lopek77]

Lopek, I am in the Bartlett area. Head west on Army Trail Road to the Prairie Path. Of if you are near Stearns you can head west on it to the Prairie Path. Head east of Wheeling and there is a great path that runs to the Wisconsin border, paved. Also, I think the Salt Creek path goes through Wheeling.

Actually I will be in between these 2 roads in Bartlett - near E. Schick Rd near the water tower Hopefully weather will be nice enough. Thanks for the tips, I checked the map and looks like u got there plenty of trails near the places I will be staying. Pretty cool!

[nixternal]

Actually I will be in between these 2 roads in Bartlett - near E. Schick Rd near the water tower Hopefully weather will be nice enough. Thanks for the tips, I checked the map and looks like u got there plenty of trails near the places I will be staying. Pretty cool!

Which tower now? There is one right on Schick Rd. and then there is one less than a mile north of that tower that says "Hanover Park" on it. Either case, I am about a mile from both If you are going to be on a cross bike, there are some better trails that will work you. They are the horse trails, so they are shorter grass and even some single track back in Pratts Wayne Woods. If you are near the Hanover Park tower, the forest preserve has a multi-track to crushed limestone path you can do circuits on at about 1.5 miles each. The multi-track back there can work you with the rollers. I do my training circuits back there with a couple of cx barriers.

[jebbesen]

Nix, I'm just south of Schick off of Fairfax. I'll have to try to find this

[lopek77]

Which tower now? There is one right on Schick Rd. and then there is one less than a mile north of that tower that says "Hanover Park" on it. Either case, I am about a mile from both If you are going to be on a cross bike, there are some better trails that will work you. They are the horse trails, so they are shorter grass and even some single track back in Pratts Wayne Woods. If you are near the Hanover Park tower, the forest preserve has a multi-track to crushed limestone path you can do circuits on at about 1.5 miles each. The multi-track back there can work you with the rollers. I do my training circuits back there with a couple of cx barriers.

It's the one on Schick Rd next to railroad tracks... This tower is just 500 feet from my sisters house.
I think I will take my mountain bike, so I can ride on any type of surface. I love crushed limestone trails! I want to do at least 2 trails in IL during my visit, and around 30-60 miles each day if weather is nice and my friends and family let me go ;-)

[lopek77]

Nix, I'm just south of Schick off of Fairfax. I'll have to try to find this

And that's where I'm going to be - Sparrow Ln ...

[jebbesen]

I would go west on Army Trail Road past route 59 and park in Wayne for the Illinois Prairie Path.

Go north and you can go as far as you want to go, all the way to Wisconsin if you want to, It's almost all limestone or paved.

see http://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/...irie-path.aspx. When this ends you merge north on the Fox River Trail see http://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/...o-aurora).aspx

I ride this several times every month. Here's a ride I made a few weeks back.

[nixternal]

I am the guy in the ABD (Athletes By Designs) kit on either a black Trek Madone or a black/red/white Trek Ion CX Pro that cuts right down Fairfax to do some hill repeats up Keim behind the fire station. I know that hood pretty good, as a team mate of mine also lives back there off of Newcastle. Actually, I think I might just grab my barriers and head over to Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve, as I can see the sun starting to poke out through the clouds.

[nixternal]

FYI, tonight at 6:30PM, from Bartlett High School, the team I belong to ABD, is doing a trail ride. Mountain Bikes and cross bikes are the norm. 27 miles with an average of 15 to 16mph. sometimes we hit 20+ MPH. it is just a fun dark ride on the paths with a bunch of people, good times. Anyone is welcome to join us.

[jebbesen]

that sounds like fun, wish I could join you. I work downtown and don't get home until about then. That and I don't have a light on my bike

[lopek77]

Here is my video from IL trails...Awesome! I will be back...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARbKT...d6AUAAAAAAArAA