Home › Illinois › Antioch › Gander Mountain Forest Preserve
Gander Mountain Forest Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 112 Google reviews · Running trail in Antioch, Illinois · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Crushed gravel
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Gander Mountain Forest Preserve'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.
Rolling-hill park featuring steep hikes and wildflowers, plus a ski resort.
What runners say about Gander Mountain Forest Preserve
“ITS BEAUTIFUL I LOVE NATURE PRESERVES BUT THIS ONES TRAIL IS UNKEPT AND THIN BARLEY ENOUGH SPACE TO WALK.”
“That's the REASON this park is SO quiet, private, beautiful, and has that "deep woods" feeling.”
Loved it! Once you get past fearing for your life parking on the main road and almost getting pancaked by the gravel trucks headed to/fro the quarry it's fantastic! Super quiet, so many trails to choose from, LOTS of steep inclines/declines. Wear grippy shoes.
A nice 1.5 mile hilly loop trail, moderately strenuous with very little parking/trail traffic. Good day trip!
Nice trail! Some are wide , some are narrow. Can definitely get momentarily lost! Some good elevation once in a while too. I'll be back for sure.
BEWARE!! TICKS!! YOU WILL LEAVE WITH TICKS ON YOU AND SOME TICKS CARRY LYME!! ITS BEAUTIFUL I LOVE NATURE PRESERVES BUT THIS ONES TRAIL IS UNKEPT AND THIN BARLEY ENOUGH SPACE TO WALK. ALSO NO WHERE TO PARK. I SUPPORT ALL NATURE PRESERVES THIS ONE IS BY FAR THE MOST STUNNING BUT MAYBE VISIT A DIFFERENT ONE!
Trail conditions & character
“ITS BEAUTIFUL I LOVE NATURE PRESERVES BUT THIS ONES TRAIL IS UNKEPT AND THIN BARLEY ENOUGH SPACE TO WALK.”
“Once you get past fearing for your life parking on the main road and almost getting pancaked by the gravel trucks headed to/fro the quarry it's fantastic!”
“5 mile hilly loop trail, moderately strenuous with very little parking/trail traffic.”
“Just be careful with dogs, keep them on leash so they don't get squished by a truck.”
“That's the REASON this park is SO quiet, private, beautiful, and has that "deep woods" feeling.”
“Once you get past fearing for your life parking on the main road and almost getting pancaked by the gravel trucks headed to/fro the quarry it's fantastic!”
Plan your run at Gander Mountain Forest Preserve
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceCrushed gravel — the rail-trail classic: softer than asphalt, still smooth enough for tempo work
- 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.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitelcfpd.org
- Phone(847) 367-6640
Running trails near Antioch
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Chain O'Lakes State Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 300 reviews
State park offering a campground, trails, lakes, a playground, and picnicking.
Fox River Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 506 reviews
Vast, clean park featuring frisbee golf courses, playgrounds and sledding hills.
Elizabeth Lake Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 74 reviews
Diverse wetland area with trails open for hiking and running.
Kenosha County Veterans Memorial Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 403 reviews
Park with a lake offering swimming and boat launches, as well as hiking trails.
