About trails in Cook County, Illinois

Cook County has 679 named trails on the map, covering 2,006 miles in total, an average of 3.0 miles per trail. That is the 1st largest mapped trail network among 65 counties in Illinois. 338 of them are tagged for hiking and 453 for mountain biking.

The longest single trail is Lakefront Trail, at 74.4 miles. 105 trails run 5 miles or longer. Mapped points of interest in the county include 191 trailheads, 33 campsites, 13 waterfalls, 130 boat launches, and 1 rapid. The nearest towns to these trails are Willow Springs, Orland Park, and Palos Park.

What the trails in Cook County are like

By length, 339 are under a mile, 235 run 1 to 5 miles, and 105 are 5 miles or longer. 83 are loops, ending where they start; the longest is Tinley Creek Red Loop, at 9.3 miles.

Of the 231 with a difficulty rating, 192 easy and 39 moderate. Of the 679 with measured elevation, Blue Single Track Trail climbs the most, about 792 ft.

Explore by activity

679All trails

338Hiking 453Mountain biking

2,006Total miles

33Campsites

130Boat launches

13Waterfalls

191Trailheads

1Rapids

Lakefront TrailHike74.4 mi bicycleMTB72.6 mi Grand Illinois Trail - Maywood to LansingMTB43.6 mi Cal-Sag TrailMTB40.5 mi Arlington Heights BikewaysMTB38.5 mi OBT-5Hike35.6 mi 37 (Illinois)MTB32.8 mi OBT-7Hike30.4 mi Des Plaines River Trail Yellow UnpavedMTB29.8 mi Mount Prospect Bikeway SystemsMTB29.6 mi Schaumburg Bicycle NetworkMTB25.8 mi North Shore Channel TrailMTB23.2 mi Thorn Creek Red Paved TrailMTB23.0 mi Hoffmann Estates BikewaysMTB23.0 mi OBT-8Hike21.3 mi Palatine Bicycle NetworkMTB20.8 mi OBT-4Hike20.1 mi OBT-3Hike19.6 mi Yellow East TrailMTB19.2 mi RiverwalkHike18.4 mi 36 (Illinois)MTB17.8 mi Park Ridge BikewaysMTB16.3 mi North Branch Yellow Unpaved TrailMTB16.0 mi North Branch Red TrailMTB16.0 mi North Branch Red Paved TrailHikeMTB15.7 mi OBT-6Hike15.0 mi Yellow Unpaved TrailHikeMTB14.8 mi Paul Douglas Red Paved TrailMTB14.0 mi Milwaukee AvenueMTB13.3 mi Red Paved TrailHikeMTB12.7 mi Sag Valley Trail SystemMTB12.2 mi OBT-10Hike11.5 mi Elston AvenueMTB11.4 mi OBT-2Hike11.4 mi PedwayHike11.1 mi Rolling Meadows BikewaysMTB11.1 mi Lake StreetMTB10.3 mi Northbrook Bicycle NetworkMTB9.8 mi Poplar Creek TrailMTB9.8 mi Black Paved TrailHikeMTB9.5 mi Tinley Creek Red LoopMTB9.3 mi Palatine Bike TrailMTB9.3 mi Tinley Creek Red Paved LoopHikeMTB9.1 mi Elmwood Park - LakefrontMTB9.0 mi North Branch Black Paved TrailMTB8.9 mi Riverside Ring RouteMTB8.9 mi Marquette RoadMTB8.9 mi I & M Canal Bicycle TrailMTB8.7 mi Poplar Creek Red Paved TrailHikeMTB8.7 mi Major Taylor Bicycle TrailMTB8.4 mi Orange Unpaved TrailHikeMTB8.3 mi Central Park AvenueMTB8.2 mi Yellow LoopHike8.1 mi Burnham GreenwayMTB8.0 mi Doctor Martin Luther King Junior DriveMTB7.9 mi Downtown - EvanstonMTB7.9 mi Main StreetMTB7.9 mi Yellow Trail LoopHikeMTB7.7 mi California AvenueMTB7.4 mi Busse Forest Trails Red PavedHikeMTB7.3 mi Red Paved LoopHike7.3 mi Yellow Unpaved LoopHike7.2 mi Barrington Bike RoutesMTB7.0 mi Palos Trail SystemMTB7.0 mi Bloomingdale TrailMTB6.9 mi Roosevelt RoadMTB6.9 mi Deer Grove - Red TrailMTB6.9 mi Yellow Single Track TrailHikeMTB6.8 mi Green Unpaved TrailHikeMTB6.8 mi Milwaukee Avenue Bikeway6.8 mi North Avenue Commuter TrailMTB6.7 mi Loomis Street - LakefrontMTB6.7 mi Salt Creek Red Paved TrailHikeMTB6.7 mi Centennial TrailMTB6.6 mi GB - Green Bay Trail - Cook CountyMTB6.5 mi 76th StreetMTB6.5 mi Jackson BoulevardMTB6.5 mi OBT-1Hike6.2 mi Valley Line TrailMTB6.0 mi Ridgeland AvenueMTB5.9 mi Forest Preserve - Milwaukee AvenueMTB5.8 mi Algonquin Road TrailMTB5.8 mi Orange LoopMTB5.8 mi Orange Unpaved LoopHike5.8 mi Humphrey Bike TrailMTB5.8 mi Tinley Creek Blue Paved TrailMTB5.7 mi Black Unpaved TrailHikeMTB5.6 mi Major Taylor TrailHikeMTB5.6 mi OBT-9Hike5.5 mi Green Bay TrailHikeMTB5.5 mi John Husar I&M Canal Paved TrailHikeMTB5.5 mi Des Plaines River Orange Trail (North)MTB5.5 mi Blue Single Track TrailHikeMTB5.4 mi Lake Street Bikeway5.4 mi Deer Grove - East Brown Unpaved LoopMTB5.4 mi Brown Unpaved TrailHikeMTB5.4 mi State StreetMTB5.4 mi Evanston - Elgin BikewayMTB5.3 mi Vincennes AvenueMTB5.3 mi CAMBr Yellow TrailHikeMTB5.2 mi Tinley Creek Purple Paved TrailMTB5.2 mi South Chicago AvenueMTB5.0 mi Orland System Red TrailMTB5.0 mi Orland Grassland Red Paved LoopHikeMTB5.0 mi Riverside Heritage RouteMTB5.0 mi Red Single Track TrailHikeMTB5.0 mi Harrison StreetMTB5.0 mi UIC - DuPaul UniversityMTB4.9 mi Des Plaines River Trail Orange Unpaved (North)HikeMTB4.9 mi Chicago RiverwalkMTB4.8 mi Bryn Mawr Avenue - Logan SquareMTB4.8 mi Washington BoulevardMTB4.8 mi North Branch Trail - LakefrontMTB4.8 mi Damen AvenueMTB4.8 mi Midland TrailMTB4.8 mi Yellow TrailHike4.7 mi CAMBR Brown TrailHikeMTB4.6 mi Lincoln Park Fitness CourseMTB4.5 mi Black Single Track TrailHikeMTB4.4 mi Downtown - Damen Avenue - Humboldt ParkMTB4.4 mi Howard StreetMTB4.3 mi Evanston Lakefront TrailMTB4.2 mi Elke Grove Village Bike RoutesMTB4.2 mi Thorn Creek Yellow Unpaved TrailHikeMTB4.1 mi Amling Memorial BikewayMTB4.1 mi Centennial Yellow Paved TrailHikeMTB4.0 mi Vollmer Road Grove Trail SystemMTB4.0 mi Promontory Point - Washington ParkMTB3.9 mi Orange Single Track TrailHikeMTB3.9 mi BelmontMTB3.8 mi 312 RiverRunMTB3.8 mi Brown East TrailHike3.8 mi Trailside Museum of Natural History TrailsHike3.7 mi Poplar Creek Yellow Unpaved TrailHikeMTB3.7 mi Tinley Creek Paved TrailHikeMTB3.6 mi CAMBr Orange TrailHikeMTB3.6 mi Jeffrey AvenueMTB3.5 mi Lawrence Avenue - EvanstonMTB3.5 mi Miller Meadow Blue Paved LoopMTB3.5 mi Thorn Creek Black Paved LoopHikeMTB3.5 mi Preservation PathMTB3.5 mi Arie Crown Forest Unpaved TrailsMTB3.4 mi Prospect Heights Bike TrailHikeMTB3.4 mi Narragansett AvenueMTB3.2 mi John Husar I&M Canal Black Paved TrailHikeMTB3.2 mi Orland Park GreenwayMTB3.1 mi Tinley Creek Green Paved TrailHikeMTB3.1 mi Orange TrailMTB3.1 mi White Oak TrailHike3.1 mi Oak Park AvenueMTB3.1 mi Yellow West Single TrackHike3.0 mi Tan TrailHike3.0 mi Northwest HighwayMTB3.0 mi Blue South Single TrackHike3.0 mi RoscoeMTB3.0 mi Red Unpaved TrailHikeMTB3.0 mi Cottage Grove AvenueMTB3.0 mi Brown Unpaved LoopHike2.9 mi Sag Valley Brown Unpaved LoopHike2.9 mi Midlothian Meadows Trail SystemMTB2.9 mi Wilson Avenue - DePaul UniversityMTB2.9 mi LaGrange Road TrailMTB2.8 mi Lakefront - California AvenueMTB2.8 mi 55th Street Bikeway2.8 mi East Prairie RoadMTB2.8 mi Indiana Avenue Bikeway2.8 mi Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved TrailHikeMTB2.8 mi Des Plaines AvenueMTB2.8 mi Tan Unpaved TrailHikeMTB2.8 mi Grace Street Neighborhood GreenwayMTB2.7 mi Madison StreetMTB2.7 mi 33rd Street - UICMTB2.7 mi Clinton StreetMTB2.7 mi Dearborn StreetMTB2.7 mi Dodge AvenueMTB2.7 mi Home AvenueMTB2.7 mi West Augusta CyclewayMTB2.7 mi East Northbrook TrailHikeMTB2.7 mi Randolph StreetMTB2.6 mi Midlothian Meadows Green Paved LoopHikeMTB2.6 mi Kedzie Avenue - Loyola PakMTB2.6 mi Logan BoulevardMTB2.6 mi Poplar Creek Brown Unpaved TrailHikeMTB2.6 mi 103rd StreetMTB2.6 mi Downtown - King AvenueMTB2.6 mi Southport AvenueMTB2.5 mi Roosevelt Road AlternativeMTB2.5 mi East AvenueMTB2.5 mi Techny BasinMTB2.5 mi Oak Park - Addision StreetMTB2.5 mi Warren BoulevardMTB2.5 mi Augusta Boulevard Bikeway2.5 mi Illinois Prairie PathHikeMTB2.5 mi Sag Valley Red Unpaved TrailHikeMTB2.5 mi Chicago AvenueMTB2.5 mi North Branch (green) Trail, (north section)Hike2.4 mi Black Oak TrailHike2.4 mi Evanston-Wilmette Community TrailHike2.4 mi Blue North TrailHike2.4 mi Stony Island AvenueMTB2.4 mi North Branch Brown Unpaved TrailMTB2.4 mi Horner Park Nature TrailHike2.3 mi Skokie Valley TrailHikeMTB2.3 mi Canal StreetMTB2.3 mi Oak Forest Heritage Preserve Trail SystemMTB2.2 mi Palos Heights Bicycle PathMTB2.2 mi Tinley Creek Black Paved TrailMTB2.2 mi CAMBR Tan TrailHikeMTB2.2 mi Tinley Creek Green TrailMTB2.2 mi Kostner Avenue - California BoulevardMTB2.2 mi Burnham Greenway Red Paved TrailHikeMTB2.1 mi Union Pacific TrailMTB2.1 mi Des Plaines River Trail Brown UnpavedMTB2.1 mi Green TrailHike2.1 mi Olympia Fields Path SystemMTB2.1 mi Washington StreetMTB2.1 mi 31st Street Bikeway2.1 mi North BroadwayMTB2.1 mi Howard Street BikewayHikeMTB2.1 mi Lawrence AvenueMTB2.1 mi United Center - CTA Blue LineMTB2.0 mi Kedzie Avenue Bikeway2.0 mi Belmont Avenue Bikeway2.0 mi Odgen Avenue - LakefrontMTB2.0 mi 119th StreetMTB2.0 mi 93rd StreetMTB2.0 mi Douglas BoulevardMTB2.0 mi Lakefront -North Shore Channel TrailMTB2.0 mi Red South Single TrackHike2.0 mi Wells StreetMTB2.0 mi Purple Single Track LoopHike1.9 mi North Branch Blue Paved (Non-FPCC) TrailMTB1.9 mi Cemetery Hill LoopHikeMTB1.9 mi Kedzie AvenueMTB1.9 mi Keeler AvenueMTB1.9 mi Circle AvenueMTB1.9 mi Downtown - United CenterMTB1.9 mi Lincoln StreetMTB1.9 mi Elgin Bicycle Route 2MTB1.9 mi Woodlawn AvenueMTB1.9 mi Black TrailHike1.9 mi 111th StreetMTB1.9 mi Clinton AvenueMTB1.8 mi Rand Road BikewayHikeMTB1.8 mi 115th StreetMTB1.8 mi 26th StreetMTB1.8 mi Des Plaines River Trail Red Unpaved Spur (North)HikeMTB1.8 mi Plum Creek Black Unpaved Loop TrailHikeMTB1.8 mi Trailside Museum of Natural History Trails Red PrimitiveHikeMTB1.8 mi North Branch Orange Unpaved TrailMTB1.8 mi Salt Creek GreenwayMTB1.8 mi River Trail Nature Center TrailsHike1.8 mi Purple Paved TrailHike1.8 mi Tinley Creek Yellow Unpaved TrailHike1.7 mi Medical Center - United CenterMTB1.7 mi Oak Forest Heritage Preserve Brown Paved LoopHikeMTB1.7 mi Dearborn Street Bikeway1.7 mi Salt Creek Orange Paved TrailHikeMTB1.7 mi Douglas Boulevard Bikeway1.6 mi Orland Grassland Yellow Paved LoopHikeMTB1.6 mi Yellow Paved LoopHike1.6 mi LaGrange RoadMTB1.6 mi Clark Street Bikeway1.6 mi Desplaines StreetMTB1.6 mi Ridge Run TrailHike1.6 mi Tan Single Track TrailHike1.6 mi Tan West Single TrackHike1.6 mi Adams Street - 18th StreetMTB1.6 mi Des Plaines River Trail Tan Unpaved Spur (North)MTB1.6 mi Emerson StreetMTB1.6 mi North Branch Tan Unpaved TrailMTB1.6 mi Crabtree TrailHike1.6 mi Franklin BoulevardMTB1.5 mi Oak Park - Humboldt ParkMTB1.5 mi Foster Avenue - LoyolaMTB1.5 mi Loyola - Foster AvenueMTB1.5 mi 88th Avenue TrailMTB1.5 mi 18th Street - Archer AvenueMTB1.5 mi Thorn Creek Purple Paved TrailHikeMTB1.5 mi Elston Avenue Bikeway1.5 mi Tinley Creek Yellow Paved TrailMTB1.5 mi Bur Edge TrailHike1.5 mi Lorado Taft Trail1.5 mi South Blue Island Avenue1.5 mi Lost Beach TrailHike1.4 mi Brown West TrailHike1.4 mi Grand Avenue Bikeway1.4 mi Phantom Prairie TrailHike1.4 mi 130th StreetMTB1.4 mi SacramentoMTB1.4 mi Wilmette - NorthwesternMTB1.4 mi Deer Grove - Black TrailMTB1.3 mi Lake Arlington Bike Path SystemHikeMTB1.3 mi Franklin Boulevard Bikeway1.3 mi 16th StreetMTB1.3 mi Des Plaines River Trail Yellow Paved (Non-FPCC)MTB1.3 mi Damen Avenue - Loomis StreetMTB1.3 mi Old Orchard Road PathMTB1.3 mi Kostner AvenueMTB1.3 mi Tan Unpaved SpurHike1.3 mi

Trails by town in Cook County

More Illinois counties

Trail geometry from OpenStreetMap contributors, licensed ODbL. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Compiled and published by Trailmonger · trail data last rebuilt September 24, 2026.