Running trails in Antioch, IL
Antioch has 6 trails in the directory — 3 on crushed gravel or dirt, 1 boardwalk, 1 loop that returns to the trailhead, and 2 shaded. 1 of them posts opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 677 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Raven Glen Forest Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 231 reviews
Nature preserve offering hiking, biking & horseback riding trails, plus a lake with 2 fishing piers.
Pine Dunes Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 183 reviews
Tranquil, 2.2-mile nature trail for hiking, dog walking, bird-watching, running and biking, with ponds and wetland views.
Gander Mountain Forest Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 112 reviews
Rolling-hill park featuring steep hikes and wildflowers, plus a ski resort.
Pedersen Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 79 reviews
Park featuring a playground, a shore area for fishing, picnic tables and a grassy area.
Raven Glen West Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 42 reviews
Hiking area with a trail that's good for kids, plus a public restroom.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Antioch
- Match the surface to your legs. Antioch gives you a choice: 2 crushed gravel, 1 natural surface, and 1 boardwalk. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More crushed gravel trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 1 trail here is a loop, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. Plenty of trails sit inside parks that gate at dusk and don't unlock until well after sunrise, so a trail that's perfect at lunchtime can be locked at 6am. 1 of the 6 listing carries posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 4 have trailhead parking, 2 have restrooms, and 1 has a water fountain in Antioch. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 2 shaded, 6 that runners describe as quiet, and 4 dog-friendly. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Antioch trails by type
Running trails near Antioch
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.