Des Plaines River Trail and Greenway: The Joy-Filled Beautiful Miles (and Miles!) Await You

George Pastorino 

This story first appeared in the September edition of Silent Sports Magazine

Editor’s Note: George Pastorino served as President of the Elmhurst Bike Club for seven years and is a Certified Mountain Bike Skills Instructor, as well as a volunteer Bike Medic. He also volunteers with Project Mobility to provide specially adapted bicycles to physically challenged children and wounded warriors. A 25-year resident of Justice, IL, he has served in local government since 2008 as a Village of Justice Trustee and Chairman of the Justice Police Commission. He is currently Treasurer of The Justice Willow Springs Water Commission. George along with his wife and Silent Sports partner, Pussanee, have been riding a variety of trails all over the country for decades.

My wife and I have been leading rides for the Elmhurst Bike Club (EBC) on the Des Plaines River Trail and Greenway (DPRT) in Lake County, Illinois, for many years, so I wanted to share this local treasure and natural resource with other silent sports aficionados who are looking for a beautiful and peaceful area to recreate in. EBC is one of the largest and most active bike clubs in the Chicagoland area.

The DPRT in Lake County, Illinois, has become a stand-out favorite local, unpaved trail in the area because it follows the Des Plaines River, as opposed to a straight, former railroad grade. As a result, there are hundreds of turns and small hills adding to the visual interest, providing riders with ever-changing views. As the river flows the DPRT goes, winding through beautiful woodlands, many within Lake County Forest Preserves, providing stunning water views and varying landscapes. You will travel through savannas and prairies, more common in the DPRT’s northern sections, and as you continue your journey south, there will be more heavily wooded areas to enjoy.

Long-distance rider Michael Newman said, “I'll often ride the trail when I want to go out for an epic ride by myself. The Lake County Forest Preserve does an excellent job at maintaining the trail so that its crushed limestone surface is well-graded and predictable. The trail is well-marked with signs at intersections so that you know which direction to go to stay on the main trail. The trail also has mileage signs, which is a nice touch, and is generally underutilized, so it's rare that it is very crowded. It's a scenic trail that is readily accessible from the suburbs while also giving you a sense that you're in a remote world away from the suburbs.”

Beautiful Facts & Figures

Completed in 2015, the gravel trail runs for just under 32 miles, from Russell Road in Wadsworth to Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. It spans the entire length of Lake County and allows users to connect to the Cook County Forest Preserve trail system south of Lake Cook Road. In addition to my own biking focus, people use the DPRT for horseback riding, hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Although unpaved, the trail is graded well by the county and not rough. Any bike you choose to ride can manage it, although most cyclists are more comfortable on bikes with 32mm tires or larger. Still, we see everything from road-race bikes to 5-inch fat bikes out there.

Another plus in addition to the scenery: There are many underpasses and bridges so riders don’t have to cross busy roads. However, be aware when heavy rains and snowmelts come; the underpasses can flood so check the Lake County Forest Preserve website for closures after a storm. Go to (and click "Check Status of Trails"):

lcfpd.org/places-to-go/preserves-trails

Best of the Best

The DPRT winds through about a dozen forest preserves and I will touch upon some of our favorites to ride and visit. But I encourage visitors to eventually visit all of them as each offers unique experiences. The first one you will encounter starting at Russel Road is Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve. At nearly 1,000 acres, Van Patten includes oak forests and beautiful Sterling Lake, where riders can take the 2.4-mile Blue Loop around it, enjoying water views and the many kayakers gliding through pristine water. The Blue Loop will also take you back to the DPRT, which you can cross to complete the 2-mile Yellow Loop, known for the lovely wooded area it takes you through.

After cycling the Yellow Loop, you will be taken by the trail along its continued journey south through the Wadsworth Savanna Forest Preserve and into the Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve, with its multiple habitats, including meadows, prairies, and wetlands. Keep an eye out for savanna birds, some songbirds, and a variety of water birds. The trail continues south, passing through the lovely Lake Carina Forest Preserve.

Fifteen miles from its start at Russell Road, the DPRT runs through the Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville. This is one of our favorites and is a must-stop along the way ― it has 6 miles of bike trails, paved and unpaved, many offering fantastic views of Independence Grove Lake which has boat rentals, a café, and a craft beer garden. Cyclists can take a break along the shores of I.G. Lake, have lunch, and head back to Russell Road for an amazing 36 to 40-mile bike ride that feels a world away.

Sheri Rosenbaum, who writes for Road Bike Rider, said, “The Des Plaines River Trail is a true Chicagoland treasure, offering a serene escape into nature without the worry of distracted drivers. I ride and hike both Lake and Cook County paths but frequent the Lake side. The trails’ connections to other local paths and uninterrupted stretches of crushed limestone make it a favorite for accessibility and extending my adventures. The trail is a vibrant ecosystem where, on any given ride, I’ll see a variety of plants and wildlife, including bald eagles, snowy egrets, loons, woodpeckers, sandhill cranes, ducks, turkeys, deer, beaver, fish, frogs, butterflies, and swarms of dragonflies. I also lead group rides to one of the many destinations directly on the path such as Independence Grove, or just a block off the path, like a café, brewery, donut shop, ice cream, or tacos. The DPRT is also the perfect place to catch a stunning sunset, making every ride memorable. The path is very fluid, changing character as the seasons change. Fall is my favorite time of year, when Mother Nature shows off her colors in vibrant golds, oranges, and reds.”

Farther south, the DPRT gives riders direct access to the Old School Forest Preserve, which has four miles of bike trails, paved and gravel, to explore. You can also admire mature oak trees that dominate the landscape here, but there is prairie as well; in late summer, a variety of wild prairie flowers are in bloom. There are large, impressive shelters and pavilions that provide you with excellent places to take a break or have lunch.

As you take the winding trail farther south, you will come across the 750-acre Captain Daniel Wright Woods Forest Preserve, which certainly is deserving of a stop to enjoy its stunning maple and oak forests. There, you can explore along its three miles of natural surface trail connecting you to the smaller Half Day Forest Preserve via a footbridge.

Many places along the trail are riverside, where you can stop to enjoy the views and the wildlife which, depending on the day, time of year, and one’s luck, can include turtles, beavers, deer, muskrats, mink, fox, raccoons, and possums. Bird life is abundant and, while too numerous to mention them all, includes great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, screech owls, northern cardinals, eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, yellow-throated warblers, and Baltimore orioles; most are seen on the trail and in the nearby preserves.

The DPRT is stunning in all seasons, and you can make an all-day adventure of it or just do short sections. However you may choose to experience the DPRT, you will feel as though you are getting away from the busy world that surrounds it. Fall brings incredible color and cool temperatures, and winter thins the user base ― you can feel like you have the trail all to yourself!

Seeing and experiencing for yourself will prove my point and more. The DPRT awaits your exploration, solo or among friends. Go out and enjoy the many facets of the trail on the bike of your choice, and you will see what I mean!

*

Enjoyed what you read? Receive 52 pages of such great stories and photos delivered to your door for only $2.08 per month. Go to:

Subscribe Silent Sports Mag