I & M Canal Trail

The I&M Canal Trail can be found by typing 501 Willow Blvd into your GPS, I had trouble finding it initially. This is a solid biking & walking trail, pretty bumpy although they tried to patch it. I was looking for a trail that avoided interaction with traffic and this trail works. It is due for a full overhaul I hear in 2016 Spring. If you want a flat trail along canals, then this is your trail. Not too many people early in the morning so I can get my 15 mile loop in quickly then get ready for work. You’ll see deer, coyotes and lots of gold finches. The bathroom in the middle of the two loops has a solid water fountain and bathroom. A good path for kids too.

Isn’t my favorite trail but it’s not too far from my house and my dog loves it. Some parts of it are a little sketchy but for the most part it’s a great place to bike, run, walk your dog, whatever. There are always a ton of bikers (actual bicycles not like motorcycles) when it gets nice out.

What’s to say about the I&M Canal that hasn’t been said already? Well, it’s in my backyard and not yours, so I can just jog/​bike/​walk right over. Jealous much? You should be cuz this little strip of awesome isn’t available everywhere.
Look, I read the other reviews, and the super serious bikers knock it because it’s flat. And well, it is. But that’s perfect for the not-​so-​serious folks like myself who just want to go for a nice walk outside without worrying about rocks and mud in and on their shoes.
We took Pixel and Fedora on the 5k leg on the east (south?) side the other night and they had a ball. Slept the whole next day because their short lil’ legs were worn out.
Admittedly, there’s a bit of graffiti underneath the bridges, but you can’t really blame that on the Forest Preserve. Look at some of the wildlife instead. I especially like to watch the turtles sunning themselves on the rocks on warm days. And if you take the northwest path, you won’t see the graffiti at all.
Yes, there’s tons of trails in the area, but this one’s mine and I kinda love it.

I agree with Julie P, this trail is okay — flat — probably fun in April getting the bicycle cobb webs out and when all the weeds aren’t yet grown to towering heights. Yes, this place is very creepy in places. And, depending on the winds and humidity, the smell can be horrible along the actual canal. I go here after I’ve done a ride at nearby Maple Lake, just to get some easy miles in. The [yellow] Centennial side is better in my opinion, not so creepy, «better» sights to take in, not so much overgrown foliage, and smoother payment — I usually start at the Centennial and go all the way around to the I and M Canal and then back, about 16 miles. Try Erie Lakawanna out here in Indiana or Prairie Duneland /​Heritage Horse Trail in Portage/​Chesterton. Nice rides.
Update — thank goodness for the forest preserve district — start issuing tickets for riders who do not observe the trail rules; yes, it’s more than just etiquette, they can and are issuing tickets because it’s a violations of rules. Apparently, it’s the same people. .. the «Lance Armstrong» look alikes.

This place might be one of the best kept secrets for recreation in the Chicago area. It is only about 15 minutes by car from my neighborhood in the city (it helps if you live on the south side right by an entrance to I-​55), and on the day I went (Friday late morning), I crossed paths with fewer than a dozen other bicyclists as I rode along for about 25 miles altogether.
I will have to look into the RTA to Willow Springs Road option, but the way we did it, with bike racks in a car, worked out well. There is a parking lot off Willow Springs Road in a place called Columbia Woods. From there you can take the Centennial trail, which is 4 miles (and now paved). Across a bridge, there is a 5.4 mile trail, all mostly shaded and green. No kids, no dogs, no rollerbladers or traffic zooming by– just butterflies, birds, bushes and trees. We did not try the Black trail north of Willow Springs road, but will try that next time. There is also a parking lot on the other side of the river just off Archer past the intersection with Willow Springs road. This is the side near the Metra stop (the south side of the river along the canal). And from the parking lot, one has access to either the Red «lolipop» trail, or the Black trail that runs northeast along the canal.
After this experience, it is hard to justify going anywhere else.

It’s a trail. Meh.
It’s surrounded by greenery, but for the most part, it’s that urban regrowth stuff with very few areas wooded with nice trees. The 5k loop that goes south from the parking lot goes under several freeway overpasses and is covered in litter and smells odd. It’s barely shaded and completely flat. Not a fan. The 8mi «lollipop» loop North from the parking lot is much nicer, but still flat. The first part, before the railroad crossing and the loop, is more shaded.
The parking lot has some creepy bathrooms and a working water fountain, and the whole thing is paved. But overall, this place makes me feel like someone’s probably living in the bushes.

Okay, this isn’t a business but your tax dollars fund it so enjoy!
If you bike, roller-​blade or just walk, this is a great place get away for a quick break or a leisurely afternoon. Hard to find: Get directions to the Willow Springs CTA Train stop and look right behind it. After you get there, everything else is fun, fun, fun! I bike and the shade and the ambiance and the lack of motorist trying to buzz you off the road is just heaven. The trail runs some 12 and ½ miles (more if you do not mind unpaved) and the tree-​lined corridor gives just the right mixture of sun and shade.
If you are lucky, you are very likely to see deer who come to drink around dusk. Word of caution: Bucks are often accompanied by doe of whom they are very protective. If one stares at you and snorts, he is no longer Bambi and may mean to do you harm if he feels provoked. Give wildlife the right of way and enjoy their beauty from a safe distance.
That said, parking is free, there are rarely crowds and no drink minimum (yuck) or admission. Come to Archer Rd in Willow SPrings and try out this hidden treasure from the Illinois Parks Department