A guide to Chainlinkers' favorite stealth bike routes

Last month I posted on The Chainlink asking members to share their favorite little known cycling routes and ways to escape the hustle-bustle of the city’s most commonly traveled bikeways. I’ve compiled some of your responses into a guide with links to route maps for your reading and riding pleasure:

http://gridchicago.com/2012/chainlinkers-share-their-favorite-stealth-bike-routes/

Keep moving forward,

John Greenfield

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 3, 2013 at 6:45am

Being able to enjoy the Peace Garden between the tunnel and the trail is a nice bonus - if you pause a minute to smell the proverbial roses.

John Greenfield said:

That's one of the nicer ways to get across LSD. On the east side of the viaduct is a sculpture donated to the park district by the Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International. Here's a Newcity cover story I wrote about it: http://newcity.com/2012/12/06/culture-clash-whats-a-sculpture-honor...

in it to win it 8.0 mi said:

Just saw this thread.  Probably not a big secret, but I take Buena East to the lakefront trail instead of Montrose or Irving Park.  There's a viaduct at the end of Buena that puts you right on the trail.  

Permalink Reply by Rusty on September 10, 2013 at 6:11am

I guess I'll chalk up another route..

 

Maybe this is more scenic than stealthy,  but I like Manor Ave between Lawrence and Montrose...easy access to Wilson if heading east/west, some of those side streets like Leland you can walk down to the river bank to see the cool house piers,  and you get to cross over the Francisco Brown Line at grade crossing (feel like I'm in some small town with a trolley system whenever I get to do that ha!)

Permalink Reply by El Dorado on September 10, 2013 at 6:47am

I would use Lower Wacker but avoid it because of all the vagrants and other seedy types that still hang out down there. It also seems like a car/bike accident waiting to happen as many drivers do not have their headlights on.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 10, 2013 at 7:34am

Definitely scenic, a real beauty.

Rusty said:

I guess I'll chalk up another route..

 

Maybe this is more scenic than stealthy,  but I like Manor Ave between Lawrence and Montrose...easy access to Wilson if heading east/west, some of those side streets like Leland you can walk down to the river bank to see the cool house piers,  and you get to cross over the Francisco Brown Line at grade crossing (feel like I'm in some small town with a trolley system whenever I get to do that ha!)

Permalink Reply by David P. on September 10, 2013 at 12:02pm

There's another one of these about two blocks south of Foster - I forget the street, something like Argyle.

in it to win it 8.0 mi said:

Just saw this thread.  Probably not a big secret, but I take Buena East to the lakefront trail instead of Montrose or Irving Park.  There's a viaduct at the end of Buena that puts you right on the trail.  

Permalink Reply by Etienne on September 28, 2013 at 7:49pm
Wow I'm going to check it out tomorrow!!

David M Mahler said:

I love taking the sidewalk over the Kennedy expressway where Augusta dead ends at Milwaukee - Quick easy way to get to Elston Ave.

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on September 30, 2013 at 2:00am

This is life changing, if true.

Etienne said:

Wow I'm going to check it out tomorrow!!

David M Mahler said:

I love taking the sidewalk over the Kennedy expressway where Augusta dead ends at Milwaukee - Quick easy way to get to Elston Ave.

Permalink Reply by Etienne on September 30, 2013 at 2:18am
Alex Z it's amazing. I checked it out after work and would never have thunk. :)
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 30, 2013 at 4:18am

Yep, it's definitely true and very useful.  I've used it many times.

Alex Z said:

This is life changing, if true.

Etienne said:

Wow I'm going to check it out tomorrow!!

David M Mahler said:

I love taking the sidewalk over the Kennedy expressway where Augusta dead ends at Milwaukee - Quick easy way to get to Elston Ave.

Permalink Reply by Marcy on May 16, 2014 at 12:30pm

I'm hoping to get out tomorrow- would love to avoid the lake front path on the weekends- I'm new to the trails - not sure where they are. Anyone have one close to North Center? 

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on May 17, 2014 at 1:08am

Try the North Branch trail, just a bit west of where you are.

Marcy said:

I'm hoping to get out tomorrow- would love to avoid the lake front path on the weekends- I'm new to the trails - not sure where they are. Anyone have one close to North Center? 

Permalink Reply by Rich S on May 18, 2014 at 3:09am

I like taking Green or Peoria to get between Milwaukee Ave and UIC. Much less hectic than Halsted and allows me to avoid one of the big hills there. I also take Peoria over the Eisenhower with all that construction at Halsted and Harrison. It's a sidewalk and the blue line stop is there so I take is slow. 

Marcy, the North Channel trail is also nice and starts a block or so west of Argyle and California. Goes up to Evanston where you can connect to the Green Bay trail. A nice loop is taking the North Branch trail out to Botanical Gardens and then taking Green Bay and North Channel trails back into the city. 

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