If you love to hike or take a long walks with your dogs, you don’t need to hit the road for Wisconsin to have some fun. From forest preserves to lakefront parks to Rails-to-Trails areas in the Chicago metro area, there are a lot of great places to hike with your dog. Here are a few suggestions.
Illinois rail corridors
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a non-profit organization that is working to create a nationwide network of trails made from former rail lines and connecting corridors. Some of the best are in our area. They get a lot of use for biking, running and rollerblading and are a great place to get some extra exercise while walking your dog. There is also parking at some point along the trails and, in some cases, restroom facilities.
One of the shorter trails is the Valley Line Trail (a.k.a. Skokie Line) that runs for a mile from the Sauganash Neighborhood on Chicago’s Northside from 4400 block of Bryn Mawr to Devon. This trail runs along a former embankment through a wooded corridor and neighborhoods and will eventually stretch through Lincolnwood and Skokie. There’s parking and restrooms in Sauganash Park.
One of the best areas for a great hike or work out with spectacular city views is Chicago’s Lakefront Bike Path. This area is already popular for runners, bikers, people on rollerblades (and pretty much everyone else). This 18.5 mile park runs from the Southshore and Hyde Park through Lincoln Park and Lakeview and has plenty of beaches and fun stops along the way.
On the Southside, check out the Burnham Greenway for two great trails – the Burnham Greenway North and the Burnham Greenway South – that run along the corridor from Chicago to Lansing. The South trail covers 2.1 miles between Green Lake Woods (where you’ll need to park) at 159th Street and State. The trail winds through neighborhoods and past ball fields and Commissioners Park, which features a playground and skate park.
The North trail is 3.15 miles from Wolf Lake to 100th Street and straddles the Indiana-Illinois state line. There’s plenty of parking with access to playgrounds, swimming, fishing and biking. The lakes and wetlands in this area are one of the more biologically divers in the Midwest. The trail stretches into urban areas and neighborhoods as well.
Horse trails and forest preserves
The Beck Lake Dog-Friendly area is the only forest preserve area that allows dogs off leash. Please keep dogs leashed and on the right side of the trail on all other forest preserve properties.
If you’re around the Palos Park area, check out the horse trails for a good hike with your dog. Because it’s an active horse trail, it’s important to keep your dog under control when hiking.
Another great trail in Cook County is the Indian Road Woods Forest Preserve at North Central Avenue and North Indian Road in the Forest Glen neighborhood. A popular trail is the off-trail along the river that gives a scenic view with fewer crowds. It’s highly suggested that you hit this trail on weekdays to avoid the weekend crowds.
Blue Star Memorial Woods off Lake Street in Glenview is a Cook County Forest Preserve with running/biking and horse trails. This area provides a variety of options for a challenging walk with your dogs and also has parking, restrooms and picnic areas. Several dog-friendly events are also held here throughout the summer as well.
Lake County
If you head north to Lake County, there are also several great options. Two of the more popular include Prairie Wolf Dog Park in Lake Forest and Independence Grove in Libertyville. Prairie Wolf is a dog park and it offers 44 acres of off leash fun including a pond. There’s plenty of room to roam and burn off tons of energy and parking is plentiful. At Independence Grove, there is a great fenced-in dog park with access to the Des Plaines River Trail (your dog must be leashed on the trail and anyplace outside the dog exercise area).
Do you have a favorite spot to hike with your dog? I’d love more suggestions for future columns for forest preserves, state parks and dog parks that offer lots of room to roam. Email me at kathypetexam@gmail.com.
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