How to get to the NB Des Plaines River Trail from the city

I want to ride the Des Plaines River Trail north of the city. I understand that near the city (the vicinity of O'Hare-Des Plaines) it is not in a good shape to ride with a road bike.

1. From where on is the trail in a good shape (i.e. limestone trail) going north bound?

2. What would be a good route to get there from the North Branch Trail? I prefer safe over fast routes.

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on April 7, 2013 at 3:56pm

The Des Plaines Trail is good north of Miner St. (aka Dempster).  If I want to ride to the DPRT from Chicago, I'll take the Northwest Highway to Oakton St. and pick it up where it intersects it.  They are a few rough bits you'll have to suffer through but nothing too bad unless its been rainy.  I don't know any good routes to the DPRT from the NBT.  Riding east-west in that area is a pain.  

Permalink Reply by Jerry Lee on April 8, 2013 at 12:02pm

it's been a decade since I done it, but west bound on Devon from north branch trail was good, traffic was light. when I did the des plaines river trail in the last century, north of dempster was rough from the horses, very bumpy from horse hoofs even on a suspension mountain bike.  I guess the horse farm is no longer there.

Permalink Reply by Haddon on April 8, 2013 at 12:48pm

Hey,

With some family in Des Planes I have taken that ride MANY times.

There are very few stretches in there that are good for road bikes.  The trail winds through park district stretches (green on map) there are some stretches of paved trail some grit lots of packed earth. Past Des Planes it gets a bit more roadworthy but I haven't gone that far. Past Des Planes perhaps.....

With a MTN bike it's a great great ride that I cannot recommend enough as it's basically a nature trail.

Great ride but not for a road bike.

H

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Permalink Reply by Ben Gray on April 8, 2013 at 1:45pm

I'm planning the same ride. Going to take the Green Bay Trail to the North Shore Bike Path and pick up Des Plaines River Trial in Libertyville. That's pretty far north and I read in this book, http://www.wheretobikechicago.com/index.html, that the trail is pretty hard packed up there. Author says it can be done without a mountain bike. Guess I'll find out.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on April 8, 2013 at 1:47pm

The trail turns to limestone once it enters Lake county. The trail is very rideable in Cook county, if it is hard packed and dry. You'll be fine if have anything 28mm and above.

If I'm riding, I like to take Diversey west to the trail. I've also used the North Ave bus, the Blue Line to Cumberland, or the various Metra lines to get me there (or back).

1zt7hr8qm0y90Permalink Reply by 1zt7hr8qm0y90 on April 8, 2013 at 7:06pm
The DPRT is crushed limestone from Touhy north to Rand with a street stretch on Campground Road after crossing Algonquin then it is concrete until Rand (Route 12). It was dedicated two years ago with ribbon cutting and a ride with the then Des Plaines Mayor Moylan. Com Ed is cutting down trees and burying pipes to run power underground and they have completely destroyed this trail with heavy equipment from just north of the 294 overpass to Oakton. I hope they pay to fill the ruts and replace the crushed limestone. There is a section after crossing Central where you must carry your bike up a railroad right of way and accross two sets of tracks.
Permalink Reply by Adam Z on April 10, 2013 at 7:22am

A good route from the Des Plaines River Trail to the North Branch Trail is from the trailhead at Sibley St through Park Ridge to Howard Street and picking up the NB trail at Howard.  Besides getting across the railroad tracks, it's almost a straight shot and mostly on residential streets.  I ride this route all the time.

Map:  http://goo.gl/maps/INUKp

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