HomeIllinoisEvanston › Bent Park

Bent Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 103 Google reviews · Running trail in Evanston, Illinois · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Natural surface
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Tree cover
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Bent Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Natural surfaceShadedRestroomsWater

Shaded park with an open playground, a soccer field and tennis courts.

What runners say about Bent Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (103 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 4 mentions

“The grass was nicely cut, the restroom was opened and clean.”

🌳 shaded & cool 3 mentions

“Great shaded park with a lot of fun options.”

Great shaded park with a lot of fun options. Also bathrooms and a summer program for children. Well done.

★★★★★ — Kiki , Jul 2019

Wonderful open space for kids to run around. The playground equipments are great.

★★★★★ — Alice , Dec 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 103 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🌳 Shaded / tree cover 3 mentions

“Great shaded park with a lot of fun options.”

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🚻 Restrooms 3 mentions

“The grass was nicely cut, the restroom was opened and clean.”

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🚰 Water fountains

“Fun park but water fountains weren't operable”

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🌲 Natural surface / singletrack 2 mentions

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Plan your run at Bent Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
  • At the trailheadrestrooms, water — reported by runners

Hours

Monday 8 AM–9 PM
Tuesday 8 AM–9 PM
Wednesday 8 AM–9 PM
Thursday 8 AM–9 PM
Friday 8 AM–9 PM
Saturday 8 AM–9 PM
Sunday 8 AM–9 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Bent Park

2524 Cowper Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

Get directions

Running trails near Evanston

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Lovelace Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 446 reviews

Evanston, IL

Scenic

Park of flowering pear trees & open spaces, with tennis courts, sports fields & a playground.

under a mile away

Perkins Woods

4.4 ★★★★☆ 41 reviews

Evanston, IL

Dog-friendly

under a mile away

Mallinckrodt Park

4.9 ★★★★★ 38 reviews

Wilmette, IL

Scenic

1.2 miles away

Jacqueline B. Gorell Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 23 reviews

Evanston, IL

1.2 miles away

Hibbard Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 53 reviews

Wilmette, IL

1.4 miles away

McCormick Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 18 reviews

Evanston, IL

1.4 miles away

All running trails in Evanston, IL →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.