Hiking Spots in Chicagoland

I kept this blog post as a "draft" for over a year, as I continued to find new hiking spots to add to the list. But now seems like a good time to share. With much the city having been shut down or in "stay-at-home" mode for months, our weekend hikes have been a saving grace. Even though it is starting to get cold outside, we will keep taking our chances for some fresh air near the city. I will admit that the best hiking near Chicago is not in Illinois but in Wisconsin and Indiana. The following is a list of some of the gems I have discovered, ordered by distance from Chicago. Enjoy.

Humboldt Park
Within city limits
Best for: feeling like you left the city without actually leaving the city
Humboldt Park is one of the city's largest (200 acres) and oldest parks. It includes a system of interconnected trails that meander around the Humboldt Park Lagoon, which fills with water lilies in the summer. I think it you walk every bit of trail in the park, it would add up to about three miles. There is also fishing and paddle-boating available. My favorite part was the turtles.

Ryerson Conservation Area

<1 hour N of Chicago

Best for: spring wildflowers and autumn strolls

This dual nature preserve and historic district has about 6.5 miles of trails, and most of it is wooded. The flat trails meander past historic buildings including abandoned cabins and a small barn (which has sheep and chickens). In the spring, wildflowers cover the forest floor (but watch out for lots of mud and flooding in the rainy season). And among the changing colors of October, it is absolutely delightful.

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

<1 hour SW of Chicago

Best for: walking with your dog

This suburban hotspot features a 9.5-mile loop trail around the Argonne National Laboratory campus. The limestone-covered trail is mostly flat with some rolling hills, with the steepest section going up to a Des Plaines River Scenic Overlook. If you don't have time to do the full loop, check out the southeast section where the namesake waterfall (man-made) is located.

Palos Trail System
<1 hour SW of Chicago
Best for: wildlife viewing, mountain biking
The Palos Trail System is made up of several color-marked trails, some of which are interconnected. My first visit was via the Orange Loop on the SW part of the system. The loop went to Red Gate Woods and connected to Bullfrog Lake and Tomahawk Slough, where we saw lots of frogs and a beaver. Watch out for mountain-bikers and horse poop on this multi-use trail.

Deer Grove Forest Preserve

<1 hour NW of Chicago
Best for: escaping in the suburbs
Deer Grove Forest Preserve is the oldest forest preserve in Cook County. It is divided into two halves, Deer Grove West and Deer Grove East, with the West portion providing more tree cover and a better escape from its suburban surroundings. I recommend the 5.4-mile Yellow Trail, which is on the west side. Watch out for mountain bikers who share this trail.

Crabtree Nature Center

1 hour NW of Chicago

Best for: bird watching

I have seen turtles, deer, blue herons, and many other birds along the three miles of trail in this suburban gem. There are also some resident birds, including a turkey vulture, a hawk, and an owl, and even more critters in the nature center building. Good any time of year.

Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana)

1 hour SE of Chicago

Best for: climbing on sand dunes

The Indiana Dunes are divided into two major park units - Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park (as of February 2019). While the national park boasts more coastline and acreage, the state park has better hiking. My favorite was Trail 2 until the precarious boardwalk over a vast bog broke and became unpassable. But what the park is really known for are the sand dunes that undulate up and down along Lake Michigan. They take you to another world, far away from Chicago and northwest Indiana. And they are a workout to get up onto!

Kankakee River State Park

1 hour S of Chicago

Best for: fishing and boating

This park hugs an 11-mile section of the Kankakee River with hiking and biking trails on both sides. While the River and its water activities are the main attraction, there are plenty of trails for those who want to stay dry.

Glacial Park (McHenry County Conservation District)

1.5 hours NW of Chicago

Best for: wide open spaces, bogs

This small park boasts almost five miles of hiking trails that traverse a variety of terrain including bogs, marsh, prairies, meadows, and kames (glacial hills). It is a smaller park in terms of hiking, and its distance from Chicago makes it less desirable, but if you happen to be in the area (cute downtown Woodstock is not far), be sure to check it out.

Richard Bong State Recreation Area (Wisconsin)

1.5 hours N of Chicago

Best for: mountain biking and ATV

Don't judge a park by its name; Bong has plenty of hiking to offer, with a dozen different trails ranging from 1.7 to 13 miles. It must still be a hidden gem because when I went, it was the first time in a long time that it felt really quiet.

Starved Rock State Park

2 hours SW of Chicago

Best for: developed trails

This is the "go-to" hiking destination in Chicagoland, and it's the most popular Illinois park on this list. It has an extensive 13-mile trail system that traverses 18 canyons of different sizes, some of them with waterfalls. It is always crowded on summer weekends, but it also attracts visitors during the winter, when the waterfalls freeze over and eagle sightings are common. Watch your step - I've been hearing more and more about slips and falls at this park.

Matthiesson State Park

2 hours SW of Chicago

Best for: avoiding the crowds of Starved Rock

Matthiesson is Starved Rock's smaller neighbor, but it is a great park on its own. It has all the best parts of Starved Rock, including dells and five miles of hiking trails, and less of the crowds (although people are catching on).

Castle Rock State Park

2 hours W of Chicago

Best for: fishing and boating

Along with Kankakee River State Park, Castle Rock State Park is another park that I would recommend for boaters ahead of hikers. It is located along the Rock River, and its namesake limestone bluff is best viewed from the water. However, the park has about six miles of hiking trails a bit inland from the river, and it is mostly flat and wooded.

Nordic Trails of Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit (Wisconsin)
2 hours NW of Chicago
Best for: rolling hills for both hiking and cross-country skiing
The Nordic Trails were created for cross-country skiing in the winter, but in the summer, they provide dozens of miles of bike-free trails for hikers who avoid the John Muir trails for this very reason (their trail heads are across the road from each other). 

Turkey Run State Park (Indiana)

3 hours S of Chicago

Best for: unique ladder-climbing trails

If Turkey Run was closer to Chicago,  I would go there a lot more often. It has the most unique and interesting terrain that I've found within three hours of the city, and it has 14 miles of trails that include permanent step ladders to navigate up and down small canyons, ravines, and dells. It is a fun place to hike.

Shades State Park (Indiana)

3 hours S of Chicago

Best for: avoiding the crowds of Turkey Run

Shades is Turkey Run's slightly smaller neighbor, and it offers more of the fun and beautiful terrain. Even though the parks are nearly adjacent and similar in size (Shades has 10 miles of hiking trails), it is less known and less visited, which is probably why I prefer it.

Devil's Lake State Park (Wisconsin)

3 hours NW of Chicago

Best for: getting in some steep hikes

This is the biggest and most popular state park in Wisconsin, and it's not hard to see why. The lake and its surrounding bluffs provide a variety of recreation opportunities including swimming, kayaking, paddle boating, and of course, hiking. The bluffs lend to steep climbs and rocky terrain, but once you get up to the top, the trail is flat with great views. It could be a nice and full day trip, but it would be better as a an overnighter. Unfortunately, weekend campsites fill up far in advance for the summer.

Did I miss any spots that you like? Let me know!