While the Grand Illinois Trail isn’t going to compare to the Lewis and Clark Trail or the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, both of which cover over 4,200 miles, it’s an excellent ride for cyclists of all skill levels and experiences. With its paved roads and limestone trails, the terrain is fantastic for a long bike ride from the countryside to the city to a small town. Today, we’re looking most closely at the Grand Illinois Trail and why you should add it to your bucket list if cycling is your passion. Let’s dive in!
As the name suggests, the Grand Illinois Trail is in Illinois. The route loops around the entire northern area of the state and is the longest bike trail in Illinois. Cyclists bike near Lake Michigan, the Wisconsin-Illinois border, the Mississippi River, and the Illinois River. The route includes the areas of Chicago, Maywood, Lansing, Spring Valley, DePue, Cordova, Galena, Rockford, and Crystal Lake.
Pro Tip: Why don’t you head north to the state with over 15,000 lakes and check out if these are the best campsites it has to offer!
Cyclists will spend several days biking the trail. It’s 535 miles long, and over 200 miles of the trail is paved, making it an excellent ride. The Grand Illinois Trail Guide details the varying segments, elevation gains, and stops along the route.
The segments are 40 to 70 miles long, with the shortest ride between Maywood and Lansing and the longest ride between Mississippi Palisades to Lake LeAquaNa. This segment between Mississippi Palisades to Lake LeAquaNa also has the largest change in elevation at over 3,600 feet.
The Grand Illinois Trail covers a huge chunk of the state. Along the way, there are plenty of historic sites, shops, restaurants, and attractions. You’ll also pass through or along prairies, farmlands, rivers, lakes, forests, bridges, and canals.
In Chicago, cyclists could stop at Lincoln Park Zoo, Navy Pier, or Oak Park. Further along the trail, you could visit a giant goose refuge at Atkinson or view the urban waterfront of the Quad Cities. In Hampton, there’s an interpretive center with native plants, and in Thomson, there’s a National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Cyclists can stop at Albany Mounds State Historic Site and view the Native American burials. In Richmond, you can take a break and enjoy the quaint shops.
There’s plenty of beautiful scenery to enjoy and lots of things to do along the trail. It’s more than a bike path!
There are also accommodations along the way, whether you’re looking for a campsite or hotel. The Grand Illinois Trail Guide lists all of the options on the route. It’s a great resource to plan your bike ride accordingly.
For example, from Bureau to East Moline, you’ll find Maple Manor B&B, Chestnut Street B&B, America’s Best Value Inn, Super 8 Motel, and other hotel options. There are no camping options in this segment. But there are between East Moline and Mississippi Palisades State Park. There are RV resorts and tent camping options. So check out that guide for all the details about accommodations during your bike ride.
Also in the guide are lists of bike repair shops. In the Rockford area, there are businesses like Tyger’s Pro Bicycle Service, Freeport Bicycle Co, Bicycle Connection, Kegel’s Bicycle Store, Bob’s Bike Shop, Rockford Bicycle Co, and Shosies Cyclery. Closer to Chicago there’s Barnard’s and Rapid Transit Cycleshop.
Almost all of the segments of the Grand Illinois Trail have at least one bike repair shop. In Utica, there’s even a bike rental – Mix’s Trading Post – if you need to leave your bike behind and rent another one to finish the ride. If you’re a cyclist, you know how important is it to have these repair shops conveniently located on a 535-mile bike ride.
If you travel via the Grand Illinois Trail Guide and follow the ten segments, it will take about ten days. Each day, you’ll ride 40-70 miles. If you prefer to bike longer or shorter distances, the trip will take fewer or more days. In general, most cyclists spend at least six days on the trail. With the attractions, shops, restaurants, and accommodations along the way, you could easily spend two weeks or more enjoying Illinois.
Paul Suchecki recorded his Grand Illinois Trail loop on YouTube. He shared, “The Grand Illinois Tour is definitely worth doing. It’s got a variety of hills and level roads. It’s mostly trails, but lots of old backcountry roads, too.”
The Grand Illinois Trail is a great way to see northern Illinois. You’re surrounded by beautiful scenery but also deep within urban environments. You get a little bit of everything along this bike trail. So if you’re a cyclist looking for your next adventure, consider taking a trip to Illinois and spending a week or longer exploring the countryside, cities, and small towns of this region.
Will you be biking the Grand Illinois Trail this year?
