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Madison County Transit Schoolhouse Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 40 Google reviews · Running trail in Madison, Illinois · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Paved
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Madison County Transit Schoolhouse Trail'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.
What runners say about Madison County Transit Schoolhouse Trail
“It is very well-maintained, and much of the grass on either side of the trail is freshly cut.”
“It has some shade, and you can use it to ride around the nearby Horseshoe Lake.”
“Nice trails, 99% paved, good signage, well maintained”
An oasis amongst industrial wasteland in Southern Illinois. THANK YOU to whoever maintains this trail. Its been absolutely stunning. Most mornings, if not all mornings, you can see abundant wildlife. Including, but not limited to cardinals and birds of all kinds; families of geese, deer, and bunnies; and, dragonflies.
MCT is one of my favorite bike riding trails. The rider has a choice for short or long distance. Nice trail for beginners and for those who like to ride up to 40 miles. The trail is mostly flat with nice slopes.
A gem wonderfully maintained by MCTA and except for Winery access ;) better than the Rails To Trails KATY Trail in Missouri. You'll notice most cars in the parking lot have MO license plates..enough said.
Amazing trail where you can get anywhere from 20-100 or more miles in on the bike. Trail doesn’t have a ton of stopping so you can actually get a good workout in
Trail conditions & character
“There are very few road crossings and lots of easy parking /access points if you're driving the kids' bikes to the trails.”
“It has some shade, and you can use it to ride around the nearby Horseshoe Lake.”
Plan your run at Madison County Transit Schoolhouse Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
- 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 trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Websitemcttrails.org
- Phone(618) 797-4600
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Running trails near Madison
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