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Running trails in Illinois
1,560 trails across 337 cities in Illinois, with the most in Chicago, Naperville, and Rockford — including 275 paved, 170 loops, 151 shaded, and 72 long enough for a 5-mile run. Every listing shows the things runners actually decide on: surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and trailhead parking. Pick a city for the full local list, or filter the Illinois trails below.
Cities in Illinois
Every city and town in Illinois with a running trail in the directory, most trails first.
- Chicago
- Naperville
- Rockford
- Elgin
- Aurora
- Champaign
- St. Charles
- Evanston
- Yorkville
- Plainfield
- Springfield
- Bartlett
- Bolingbrook
- Decatur
- Lombard
- Mahomet
- Glenview
- Joliet
- Libertyville
- Peoria
- Willow Springs
- Batavia
- Belleville
- Bloomington
- Gurnee
- Kankakee
- Mundelein
- Romeoville
- Tinley Park
- DeKalb
- Downers Grove
- Lake Villa
- Lemont
- Morris
- Normal
- Northbrook
- Palatine
- Roscoe
- Sycamore
- West Chicago
- Woodridge
- Bourbonnais
- Carol Stream
- Channahon
- Dixon
- East Peoria
- Elmhurst
- Geneva
- Lake Forest
- Moline
- Oswego
- Ottawa
- Round Lake
- Schaumburg
- Urbana
- Arlington Heights
- Belvidere
- Carpentersville
- Cary
- Deerfield
- Edwardsville
- Frankfort
- Godfrey
- Lisle
- Mt Prospect
- O'Fallon
- Orland Park
- Pekin
- Quincy
- Rolling Meadows
- Sterling
- Washington
- Addison
- Alton
- Barrington
- Charleston
- Crystal Lake
- Elk Grove Village
- Galesburg
- Granite City
- Grayslake
- Hanover Park
- Hickory Hills
- Lansing
- Matteson
- Oak Park
- Palos Park
- Rockton
- Westmont
- Winfield
- Antioch
- Bloomingdale
- Cherry Valley
- Des Plaines
- East Moline
- Fairview Heights
- Freeport
- Glenwood
- Hoffman Estates
- La Grange Park
- Lockport
- New Lenox
- Oglesby
- Plano
- Streamwood
- Vernon Hills
- Warrenville
- Waukegan
- Wheeling
- Zion
- Carbondale
- Collinsville
- Columbia
- Danville
- Highland Park
- Homewood
- Mattoon
- McHenry
- Minooka
- Mokena
- Morton Grove
- North Aurora
- Oak Forest
- Park Forest
- Park Ridge
- Roselle
- Round Lake Beach
- Streator
- Winnetka
- Alsip
- Bensenville
- Buffalo Grove
- Canton
- Centralia
- Darien
- Effingham
- Elburn
- Glen Ellyn
- Glencoe
- Hampshire
- La Grange
- Lincoln
- Lindenhurst
- Long Grove
- Lyons
- Midlothian
- Oak Lawn
- Palos Hills
- Peoria Heights
- Skokie
- South Elgin
- South Holland
- Swansea
- Villa Park
- Wadsworth
- Wheaton
- Woodstock
- Algonquin
- Benton
- Brookfield
- Caledonia
- Calumet City
- Chatham
- Evergreen Park
- Glendale Heights
- Herrin
- Huntley
- Jacksonville
- Lake in the Hills
- Lincolnwood
- Loves Park
- Macomb
- Maryville
- Monee
- Montgomery
- Morton
- Northfield
- Oak Brook
- Oakwood
- Pontiac
- Prospect Heights
- River Forest
- River Grove
- Rock Island
- South Beloit
- Spring Grove
- Waterloo
- Wauconda
- Westchester
- Western Springs
- Willowbrook
- Wilmette
- Wood Dale
- Worth
- Beach Park
- Berwyn
- Burbank
- Burr Ridge
- Campton Hills
- Carterville
- Chicago Heights
- Chicago Ridge
- Cicero
- Country Club Hills
- Dundee Township
- East St Louis
- Franklin Park
- Glen Carbon
- Grafton
- Hampton
- Harvey
- Hebron
- Hinsdale
- Homer
- Homer Glen
- Illinois City
- Itasca
- Kewanee
- Kingston
- La Salle
- Lake Zurich
- Machesney Park
- Manhattan
- Marengo
- Markham
- Marquette Heights
- McLean
- Mt Morris
- Mt Vernon
- Niles
- North Chicago
- North Riverside
- Palos Heights
- Port Barrington
- Richmond
- Riverdale
- Riverside
- Riverwoods
- Round Lake Heights
- Shiloh
- Shorewood
- Strasburg
- Sugar Grove
- Taylorville
- Thornton
- Valmeyer
- West Dundee
- Altamont
- Beecher
- Big Rock
- Bridgeview
- Broadview
- Bull Valley
- Butler
- Caseyville
- Clarendon Hills
- Coal Valley
- Cortland
- Cottage Hills
- Countryside
- Crest Hill
- Crestwood
- Crete
- Deer Park
- Dolton
- Dunlap
- Dupo
- East Dundee
- Edelstein
- Edwards
- Energy
- Fairbury
- Findlay
- Flossmoor
- Forest Park
- Forest View
- Franklin Grove
- Garden Prairie
- Genoa
- Goreville
- Groveland
- Hanover
- Hawthorn Woods
- Herod
- Highland
- Highwood
- Hillside
- Hodgkins
- Hudson
- Ingleside
- Jerseyville
- Lake Barrington
- Le Roy
- Madison
- Makanda
- Manteno
- Marion
- Mascoutah
- Maywood
- Medinah
- Metamora
- Mettawa
- Milan
- MONTGMRY
- Monticello
- Morrison
- Mt Zion
- Nashville
- North Pekin
- Northlake
- Oregon
- Peru
- Pingree Grove
- Port Byron
- Prairie Du Rocher
- Rantoul
- Richton Park
- Ringwood
- Rock Falls
- Savanna
- Sesser
- Sheffield
- Silvis
- Simpson
- South Chicago Heights
- Southern View
- Summit
- Tower Lakes
- Troy
- Vienna
- Wayne
- Wayne Township
- Whittington
- Wilmington
- Wonder Lake
- Wood River
- Wyoming
Notable running trails in Illinois
The Illinois trails runners review most, ranked by rating weighted by review volume. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to narrow to the run you're actually planning. See the full best-of-Illinois ranking →
Starved Rock State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 17,508 reviews
Hiking, fishing & boating in a historic landmark area with canyons & trails plus a lodge & cabins.
Garden of the Gods Recreation Area
4.9 ★★★★★ 5,454 reviews
Scenic hiking, camping & picnic area featuring sandstone rock formations & a trail with benches.
Busse Woods
4.7 ★★★★★ 5,482 reviews
Lakeside forest retreat offering an elk habitat, a biking trail, boat rentals & large picnic groves.
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 4,800 reviews
This 4,160-acre park with diverse scenery & wildlife offers camping, fishing, hiking & boating.
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 4,242 reviews
Wildlife & plant preservation area with glacial potholes, multi-use trails, fishing & picnicking.
Skokie Lagoons
4.7 ★★★★★ 4,088 reviews
Forest preserve consisting of pools, channels & islands, with fishing, kayaking & hiking.
Riverwalk Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,981 reviews
Classic urban park offering a playground, ice rink, trails, horseshoe pit & a paddle boat pier.
Independence Grove Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,710 reviews
Large park with a 115-acre lake, trails, visitor center with exhibits, amphitheater, marina & cafe.
Swallow Cliff Stairs
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,181 reviews
2 flights of stairs with almost 300 steps in total, forming a loop & popular for cardio workouts.
Sinnissippi Gardens
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,082 reviews
This riverside park features an exhibition hall & gardens showcasing exotic flora, art & sculpture.
Dan Ryan Woods
4.5 ★★★★★ 3,208 reviews
A 257-acre forest preserve with play fields, a popular sledding hill & a paved multi-use trail.
Blackwell Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,701 reviews
Scenic area with 9 miles of trails, picnic sites, fishing & boat rentals, camping, tubing & more.
Lilacia Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,570 reviews
Historic public garden specializing in lilacs (200+ varieties) & tulips (50+), with a picnic area.
The 606
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,198 reviews
Created on a former rail line, this elevated, 2.7 mile landscaped trail draws runners & bikers.
Kankakee River State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,184 reviews
4,000 acres along 11 miles of river for year-round outdoor sporting & recreation plus horse stables.
Pottawatomie Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,135 reviews
Riverside area with full & mini-golf, a pool, boat rentals, a native garden & riverboat cruising.
Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center (Burbank)
4.3 ★★★★☆ 2,359 reviews
Ghoulishly themed fun park offering an 18-hole mini-golf course, go-karts, rides, games & prizes.
Dellwood Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,149 reviews
150-acre park with picnic shelters, playgrounds & a disc-golf course, plus athletic fields & trails.
Ferne Clyffe State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,089 reviews
Scenic 2,430-acre park featuring striking rock formations, fishing, a waterfall & hiking trails.
Gillson Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,150 reviews
Expansive reserve with beach access, swimming, sailing, picnicking, fitness trails, dog area & more.
Pere Marquette State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,099 reviews
Lodge & 8,000-acre nature area for water & winter sports, birding, hunting, riding & camping.
Moraine Hills State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,071 reviews
2,200+ acres of glacier-formed park with woods, wetlands & lakes for year-round sports & recreation.
O'Fallon Family Sports Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,985 reviews
Sports park offering on-site parking, 8 ball diamonds, soccer pitches & changing facilities.
Herrick Lake Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,947 reviews
885-acre nature preserve with over 5 miles of trails, plus boat rentals & fishing opportunities.
LaBagh Woods
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,915 reviews
This wooded area is a popular spot for nature observation & offers trails & picnic areas.
Washington Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,866 reviews
Green space featuring a playground, a bell tower, a botanical garden & 2 ponds with ducks & geese.
Horner (Henry) Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,744 reviews
Sizable park with playgrounds, multiple athletic fields, community events & cultural programming.
Schiller Woods
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,677 reviews
Fishing for bass & catfish, plus walking trails, picnic areas & roaming deer in protected woodland.
No trails match those filters.
Illinois trails by surface
Surface is the biggest split in trail running — asphalt is fast and predictable, crushed limestone is softer but still smooth, dirt is easiest on the joints and the most fun, boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick when wet.
More ways to find a trail in Illinois
- Best running trails in Illinois — the state-wide ranking from runner reviews
- Loop trails — 170 in Illinois come back to the trailhead without backtracking
- Long-run trails (5+ miles) — 72 in Illinois are long enough for a proper long run
- Shaded trails — 151 in Illinois keep tree cover over the path for summer miles
- Lit trails — 111 in Illinois have lighting for pre-dawn and post-work runs
- Trails with restrooms — 737 in Illinois, and 259 with water fountains
- Trailhead parking — 693 in Illinois have parking at the trailhead
- Dog-friendly trails — 561 in Illinois you can run with a dog
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible — 388 in Illinois are smooth and wide enough
- Scenic trails — 751 in Illinois runners single out for the views
- Browse by surface — paved, crushed limestone, natural dirt or boardwalk
- All trail features — loops, shade, lighting, restrooms, mile markers and more
- Running trails by state — the rest of the country
- Trail-running guides — surfaces and your knees, loop vs out-and-back, trail etiquette, running before dawn
Trail features in Illinois
- Scenic Running Trails
- Trails with Restrooms
- Trails with Trailhead Parking
- Dog-Friendly Running Trails
- Quiet, Uncrowded Trails
- Stroller & Wheelchair-Accessible Trails
- Trails with Water Fountains
- Loop Trails (No Backtracking)
- Hilly Trails & Hill Workouts
- Shaded Running Trails
- Lit Trails for Early & Night Runs
- Long-Run Trails (5+ Miles)
- Flat & Fast Running Trails
- Trails with Mile Markers