Off-road trails easily accessable without a car
I just got a new mountain bike, and I'm looking for any off-road trails that I can get to easily from the city either by riding or by Metra or other public transportation. I don't need the world's most challenging singletrack, although some challenge would be good, but mostly I just want a 2 hour ride in the woods on an unpaved trail. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by nik was here on
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i wish.
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Permalink Reply by Julie P. on
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I'd just take Metra to Willow Springs on the Heritage Corridor line. You're just across the street from Palos.
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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on
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Metra - HC line only runs weekdays during rush hours. I doubt that line has ever seen a bike.
Julie P. said:I'd just take Metra to Willow Springs on the Heritage Corridor line. You're just across the street from Palos.
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Permalink Reply by Tim M Hovey on
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i hate to say it, but the fact remains that if you want to score some hot tire on dirt action your going to need a car to get you there. your best bet would be to start hooking up with fellow riders via cambr.org or chicagofreeride.net and see if you can get in on some transportation.
i think palos is awesome, but even if you could get there via metra you'd be doing yourself a huge disservice by missing out on the places that are further out from the city, like kettle moraine and saw week kee.
of course, you can always go hit the garden, but its not exactly a trailride. on the other hand, dropping your seat and learning your way around the pumptrack will definitely make you a better cross country rider!
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this debate is the biggest reason i can't see myself staying in Chicago for life. I need something to ride within riding distance of my shop or house. I have no problem driving to the "best singletrack ever", but i still want something immediately local .
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i can understand that! personally, by spring 2010 i'll be living in louisville colorado. 5 years in chitown has been enough, i love the place and can honestly say i've made the most of it, but having to escape every weekend to get some ridding done got old a long time ago.
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did we really just go there?
the thing I hate about the lakefront singletrack is that it is so tight and twisty, I always leave wishing I would cut my bars shorter to get through it all. That and all the trees! Too technical for me. ;)
but yes, it is an option nearby.
Sam S said:There's always the "lakefront singletrack" :-p
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Permalink Reply by Dan Townsend on
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whatever the name of the woods right by gompers park off of foster and pulaski has a trail near the river....
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on
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Anyone know of a good bike route from Chicago to the Palos trails? Google tells me to take Archer Avenue; is that a bad idea? Does the Des Plaines River Trail go that far South?
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I saw the Metra suggestion previously in the thread. I'd rather not take a bus or train, although I'm not wholly opposed to it. I don't know any good roads on the South or West side. It's about 18 miles from my house in Noble Square. I was hoping to ride there if possible, and make a good mixed terrain day out of it.
Is Archer ridable? is it as bad as Western Ave?
H3N3 said:Your best bet is what they call "Palos" at roughly 95th and Archer in Willow Springs.
If you search on a map you probably want to try to zero in on Bullfrog Lake.
Not sure how to get out there offhand, but some of the roads a bit east are pretty gnarly so you'd want to take bus or train as close as possible, or maybe even overshoot.
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