"Safe" path/route to get to I&M canal trail

I've been pouring over Google Map the past few months looking for a route that will go from the lake to the Mississippi River. Most of this can be done using the I&M Canal trail but the one thing I'm not 100% sure about is finding a "safe" route that starts from the lake. Looks like most of it might be cutting through some no-so-great neighborhoods and/or busy not-so-safe streets. Same thing appears the same even if you attempt to go the way of hooking up with the IL prairie path.

Anyone ever attempted to try to get to the I&M canal trail or the IL prairie path from the Lake?

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Permalink Reply by djm on April 5, 2018 at 6:41am

I often take Ogden to 26th...Willow Springs to the Centennial / I & M Trail. I do some zigzagging to avoid the busiest stretches in the suburbs. It look something like this:

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Permalink Reply by Larry Mysz on April 6, 2018 at 4:44am

If you don't mind going a few miles south first, the Grand Illinois Trail is a good route all the way to the Mississippi. Maps and cue sheets are available from RideIllinois. Paper maps and cue sheets can be downloaded and RideWithGPS maps can be previewed at:

http://rideillinois.org/maps/grand-illinois-trail-guide/

Take the Lake Front Trail and south shore drive south to Burnham Greenway. Take the Greenway to Lansing. Hop on the Thorn Creek Trail west to Chicago Heights, Then, Old Plank Road trail to Joliet, where you can pick up the I&M. That's about 80% on trails.

Last time I went that way there were I&M trail closures near Morris and Ottawa, but easy road routes around them.