Running in Chicago – The City's Best Trails

Chicago is the home of many miles of running paths and trails, making it the perfect city for runners of every level of experience.

Trails

Lakefront Trail: 

• 18 miles long
• Runs from the north end of Hollywood Avenue to the south end of 71st Street
• Weaves alongside Lake Michigan
• As it cuts through popular financial and tourism districts, it can be quite busy
• Open from sunrise to sunset
  • Features:
  • Parks
  • Beaches
  • Gardens
  • Statues
  • Washrooms
  • Parking lots
  • Drinking fountains
  • Concession stands [1]

Burnham Greenway:

• Runs along the border of Chicago and Lansing
• Divided into two distinct sections
• Burnham North:
  • 3.15 miles long
  • Runs from Wolf Lake to 100th Street
  • Stretches beside one of the most biologically diverse locations in the Midwest
  • After the lake, runners will enter a populated urban area
    • Features:
    • Parking area
    • Playgrounds
    • Swimming
    • Fishing
    • Restaurants
    • Grocery stores
• Burnham South:
  • Covers 2.1 miles
  • Runs between Green Lake Woods and State Street
  • Features:
    • Parking area at Green Lake Woods
    • Baseball fields
    • Passes through many neighborhoods
    • Runs beside Commissioner’s Park
    • Playground
    • Skate park
• There are plans in place to close the gap between the two trails [2]

Major Taylor Trail:

• Owes its name to Marshall “Major” Taylor
  • African-American cyclist who set the one-mile track cycling world record in 1899
• Runs seven miles along the southwest side of the city
• Connects Dan Ryan Woods (80th Place) with Whistler Woods (south bank of Little Calumet River)
• Features:
  • Biking
  • Inline skating
  • Wheelchair accessibility [2]

North Branch Trail:

• 20 miles long
• Runs between Devon Avenue at Caldwell Avenue and Chicago Botanical Garden
• Winds along the North Branch of the Chicago River
• Features:
  • Inline skating
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Nature-oriented setting
  • Circles Skokie Lagoons and Erikson Woods
  • Resting areas
  • Public restrooms
  • Alternate dirt paths
  • Ends in intersections with other trails for a more varied experience

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Sources:
[1] http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/park_district/lakefront_trail_.html
[2] http://www.traillink.com