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Permalink Reply by burden on August 14, 2009 at 8:34am

Nope. Last I checked, there was a tiny stretch of trail paved through Lyons down to about 47th St, and then nothing until Willow Springs. If you have the right bike, no fear of trespassing, a hazmat suit and maybe an inflatable dinghy, you might be able to break your own trail through that missing section.

Once you're in Willow Springs, it's clear trail-sailing all the way out to La Salle or whatever, except for a short break through the largely-pleasant streets of Joliet.

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Permalink Reply by Carol Nufer on August 14, 2009 at 9:09am

burden said:

Nope. Last I checked, there was a tiny stretch of trail paved through Lyons down to about 47th St, and then nothing until Willow Springs. If you have the right bike, no fear of trespassing, a hazmat suit and maybe an inflatable dinghy, you might be able to break your own trail through that missing section.

Once you're in Willow Springs, it's clear trail-sailing all the way out to La Salle or whatever, except for a short break through the largely-pleasant streets of Joliet.

Any suggestions how to get to Willow Springs?

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Permalink Reply by burden on August 20, 2009 at 4:32am

I have yet to find a great bike route to Willow Springs.

If you're starting near Lyons and reasonably comfortable with speedy suburban roads, try this:

• Head south out of Lyons on Joliet Rd until it ends at 55th. Stop to check out the closed stretch of Joliet Rd above the quarry. Unfortunately, the south end is completely fenced off or it'd make a very nice car-free, post-apocalyptic short cut.
• Continue west on 55th to East Ave.
• Turn south onto East Ave. It'll eventually become Santa Fe Dr.
• Continue south on Santa Fe. Just after the expressway it'll end at 75th. Take a right.
• Continue on 75th to Willow Springs Rd.
• Turn south on Willow Springs Rd. You'll see the canal itself below you just before Archer.
• Turn left onto Archer, and then take the very first left onto Market St; the trailhead is just past the Metra station.

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on August 20, 2009 at 4:51am

So we can cram our bikes onto a Metra train, get off in Willow Springs and then ride all the way to the I & M Canal trail off road? That would be pretty great! Or am I misunderstanding something?


burden said:

I have yet to find a great bike route to Willow Springs.
If you're starting near Lyons and reasonably comfortable with speedy suburban roads, try this:

• Head south out of Lyons on Joliet Rd until it ends at 55th. Stop to check out the closed stretch of Joliet Rd above the quarry. Unfortunately, the south end is completely fenced off or it'd make a very nice car-free, post-apocalyptic short cut.
• Continue west on 55th to East Ave.
• Turn south onto East Ave. It'll eventually become Santa Fe Dr.
• Continue south on Santa Fe. Just after the expressway it'll end at 75th. Take a right.
• Continue on 75th to Willow Springs Rd.
• Turn south on Willow Springs Rd. You'll see the canal itself below you just before Archer.
• Turn left onto Archer, and then take the very first left onto Market St; the trailhead is just past the Metra station.

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Permalink Reply by burden on August 20, 2009 at 5:17am

Tony Adams said:

So we can cram our bikes onto a Metra train, get off in Willow Springs and then ride all the way to the I & M Canal trail off road? That would be pretty great! Or am I misunderstanding something?

Unfortunately, that particular Metra line only does one-way rush hour service.

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