The Chainlink

Seeking route advice for riding from Rogers Park (Lunt+Clark) to Glencoe (Chicago Botanic Garden).

I've heard this done from various friends, but didn't find here in cursory search. Advice please - Much appreciated! ASAP since we ride mothers' day.

FOLLOWUP: I've posted a finished recommended route (and Google map) on my site:

Chicago to Glencoe bike route summary (>14 miles):
See http://Bedno.com/ctog for Google maps version with every turn detailed.

  1. Chicago Ave into Evanston passing Calvary.
  2. Crawl the lake using the paths and N.U.Campus and some Sheridan bits.
  3. Go west at Maple (past Central and lighthouse, before Baha'i) and cross the bridge.
  4. Work NW to Greenbay and the Metra line.
  5. Find and follow the Greenbay TRAIL through Wilmette and Kenilworth and Winnetka to Glencoe.
  6. Go west on Lake Cook (County Line) Rd to the garden. Gloat past paying drivers to bike parking area near main building.

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North on Clark to Howard (or some northbound sidestreets)
Continue north on to Chicago Ave, or west on Howard to Custer

Chicago Ave to Davis
or
North on Custer to Main
West on Main to Maple
North on Maple to Davis

West on Davis to Florence
North on Florence to Church
West on Church to Austin

At Austin and Beckwith(Church), you can pick up the North Branch Trail just south of mile 6. Take the trail up the Tower Road and continue on to the Skokie Lagoons loop. The Gardens are across Dundee road on the north stretch of the Skokie Lagoons loop.
Sheridan is prettier, but be prepared for the hills after Kenilworth.
How was your ride?
Green Bay Trail (starts at the Wilmette Metra Station) to County Line Road
Rode >30 miles round trip, and it wasn't VERY hard, but it wasn't easy.
Each way (rounded): 14 miles, 1:15 moving, 11mph avg, 24mph max, >500kcal.
Comparable to car/rail travel time, but FREE!

Biggest/bestest/beautiest part is "Green Bay TRAIL" (NOT Green Bay road) running next to (east of) the Metra line through Wilmette and Kenilworth and Winnetka to Glencoe, but with significant discontinuities.
Hardest part is Evanston, which we did on lakefront paths and Sheridan, and through NU campus.

We took Sheridan on the way there, but the hills and traffic are hard, and some is marked no bikes. The North Branch Trail route merits a try later. I'll record more details eventually, but wanted to get this summary up right away.

Thanx ALL!
The Green Bay Trail has many beautiful sections, but I agree that navigation is a challenge.

Andrew Bedno said:
Rode >30 miles round trip, and it wasn't VERY hard, but it wasn't easy.
Each way (rounded): 14 miles, 1:15 moving, 11mph avg, 24mph max, >500kcal.
Comparable to car/rail travel time, but FREE!

Biggest/bestest/beautiest part is "Green Bay TRAIL" (NOT Green Bay road) running next to (east of) the Metra line through Wilmette and Kenilworth and Winnetka to Glencoe, but with significant discontinuities.
Hardest part is Evanston, which we did on lakefront paths and Sheridan, and through NU campus.

We took Sheridan on the way there, but the hills and traffic are hard, and some is marked no bikes. The North Branch Trail route merits a try later. I'll record more details eventually, but wanted to get this summary up right away.

Thanx ALL!
congrats. Once you nail the routes they're quite simple to navigate all the way to the Wisconsin border.

Andrew Bedno said:
Rode >30 miles round trip, and it wasn't VERY hard, but it wasn't easy.
Each way (rounded): 14 miles, 1:15 moving, 11mph avg, 24mph max, >500kcal.
Comparable to car/rail travel time, but FREE!

Biggest/bestest/beautiest part is "Green Bay TRAIL" (NOT Green Bay road) running next to (east of) the Metra line through Wilmette and Kenilworth and Winnetka to Glencoe, but with significant discontinuities.
Hardest part is Evanston, which we did on lakefront paths and Sheridan, and through NU campus.

We took Sheridan on the way there, but the hills and traffic are hard, and some is marked no bikes. The North Branch Trail route merits a try later. I'll record more details eventually, but wanted to get this summary up right away.

Thanx ALL!
I've posted a finished recommended route on my site:
http://bedno.com/ctog
The Google Map version there contains every detail exactly as ridden and recommended, in case any completely unfamiliar user needs such thoroughness.

Chicago to Glencoe bike route summary (>14 miles):
1. Chicago Ave into Evanston passing Calvary.
2. Crawl the lake using the paths and N.U.Campus and some Sheridan bits.
3. Go west at Maple (past Central and lighthouse, before Baha'i) and cross the bridge.
4. Work NW to Greenbay and the Metra line.
5. Find and follow the Greenbay TRAIL through Wilmette and Kenilworth and Winnetka to Glencoe.
6. Go west on Lake Cook (County Line) Rd to the garden. Gloat past paying drivers to bike parking area near main building.

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