I and M Canal Trail--Safe Route in to Downtown

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on March 9, 2010 at 5:45am

I've ridden this several times - in the opposite direction!

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=RrzKj&page_id=36880&... (This is backwards, since I'm going east-to-west)

The Old Plank Road Trail takes you east from Joliet all the way to Western Avenue;

Here's a Google Map to get you from Chanahonn to the Plank Road Train to Western.

The next route is the Burnham Greenway - but there's no easy or reliable way to get between these two. And the Burnham Greenway is split into two parts.

Here's a Google Map of that part, but getting between the two is a minor problem. There really isn't any very scenic route.

Where the Burnham Greenway ends on the north you can cross under the Chicago Skyway and follow the city's bike route signs back to the trail along the lakefront.

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Permalink Reply by Curt H Moore on March 9, 2010 at 5:46am

thanks, I was hoping there was a book out there...curt

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 9, 2010 at 9:28am

I haven't found any existing book with on-street routes for this area, just lots of trail books.

Curt H Moore said:

thanks, I was hoping there was a book out there...curt

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on April 10, 2012 at 12:05pm

I've gotten an inquiry from a guy in Boston planning a cross country ride who wants to use the I&M Canal trail and is asking about camping in June. 

Does anyone have current info on trail conditions?  He's also asking whether camp sites tend to fill up early.  If you'd like to share info here, that would be great.



Dave Brew said:

The I & M Canal is closed just east of Utica until west of Buffalo Rock. You'll need to jump on the road (go south then east to near Buffalo Rock) for a bit unless the 3 washed out bridges are fixed (Work in Progress). Yes, DNR is ticketing riders who attempt it (and get caught!).

Also, Todd Volker's book "The Complete Grand Illinois Trail Guidebook" details the whole route and would be a good investment. The Joliet jump sounds like a headache but is detailed here. Also, how to get to the Lakefront Path is covered in detail, too.

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Permalink Reply by mark stetson on April 10, 2012 at 4:08pm

I live near the Hennepin Canal, can help out with anything you want to know between  IA City and Peru, IL.  I think the best place to cross the Mississippi is at Muscatine.  I believe that's where the Adventure Cycling north transcontinental route crosses, the QC area bridges are all heavier traffic.  I think I have that map somewhere, which I can map on MapMyRide so you can view it.  I can also check out a route up to the canal path from Muscatine if you want to cross there.  More pics of the canal here:

 

 http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/hennepin-canal-trail

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