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Flat & Fast Running Trails in Illinois
Illinois has 70 trails with flat, fast terrain in this directory, across 56 cities and towns — Ottawa, Peoria, Belleville, Carbondale and 52 more. Gentle grades for tempo efforts, goal-pace long runs and steady miles.
Every one in Illinois
Use the filters to narrow these by surface, loop, distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and parking.
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.
Ferne Clyffe State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,089 reviews
Scenic 2,430-acre park featuring striking rock formations, fishing, a waterfall & hiking trails.
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.
Forest Park Nature Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,142 reviews
Over 500 acres of nature preserve featuring trails, a natural history museum & a bird observatory.
Springbrook Prairie
4.7 ★★★★★ 955 reviews
Expansive natural area including meadow & prairie habitat for birds plus running & biking trails.
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area
4.5 ★★★★★ 892 reviews
Converted farmland now a 3,300-acre park with camping, hiking & a lake for fishing & water sports.
Detweiller Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 828 reviews
This 760-acre park features a nature reserve, hiking trails, picnic shelters, sports fields & more.
Buffalo Rock State Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 880 reviews
Riverside bluff & 290 acres of nature with trails, camping & picnic shelters (1 with fireplace).
Forest Preserves of Cook County
4.5 ★★★★★ 781 reviews
Wooded locale for hiking, picnics and kite flying, also home to deer and hawks.
Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 738 reviews
Wildlife-filled prairie preserve on 1,200 acres with trails, seed library & snowmobiling in winter.
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 653 reviews
Nature education center featuring a woolly mammoth skeleton, microscopes, and spotting scopes.
The Watershed Nature Center
4.8 ★★★★★ 636 reviews
Protected forest, prairie & wetland habitat with paved walking trails & an education center.
Captain Daniel Wright Woods Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 605 reviews
Wooded reserve sprawling 750 acres, with a lake for fishing & trails for hiking, biking & riding.
Big Marsh Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 565 reviews
280.13-acre open space with an off-road bike park, nature areas for bird watching & hiking trails.
Lowell Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 522 reviews
Sprawling park featuring a riverfront, trails, shelters and playgrounds.
Centennial Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 444 reviews
Tranquil nature area featuring trails for walking, picnics and biking, plus a playground.
Paul Douglas Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 412 reviews
Public woodlands popular for bird-watching, with a paved cycling trail & an 18-hole golf course.
Centennial Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 393 reviews
Park featuring a playground, athletic fields, and a skateboarding area, plus picnic tables.
McDonald Woods Forest Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 364 reviews
Forest preserve with rolling green hills plus trails for cross-country skiing, biking & hiking.
Orland Grassland
4.6 ★★★★★ 379 reviews
Prairie conservation area with a bike trail & walking paths, plus birdwatching opportunities.
Castaldo Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 352 reviews
Local park with 11 acres of multi-use fields, play areas, a volleyball court & a disc-golf course.
Centennial Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 348 reviews
Lake and ponds with walking trails surrounding them. There’s also fishing, picnic areas and playgrounds.
Butterfield Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 330 reviews
Various ball fields & courts plus playground, picnic area & recreation center with fitness programs.
Prairie Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 327 reviews
City park in a scenic riverside setting offering bike & hike trails, disc golf & fishing access.
Flick Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 307 reviews
Park with a playground, picnic, and pool areas, plus baseball, tennis, and volleyball courts.
Cricket Creek County Forest Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 309 reviews
Woodlands, prairies & wetlands with facilities for camping, golfing, fishing, snowshoeing & tubing.
Chain O'Lakes State Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 300 reviews
State park offering a campground, trails, lakes, a playground, and picnicking.
Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 257 reviews
This nature area features a tallgrass savanna, a 4-mile trail & wildlife such as Blanding's turtles.
Konarcik Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 249 reviews
Kid-friendly park featuring a lake, waterfalls and disc-golf courses.
Rolling Knolls Forest Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 206 reviews
Expansive forest park with 55-acres of open green space, including a pro-level disc-golf course.
Citizens Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 210 reviews
This 45-acre park offers ball diamonds, bike ramps & a disc-golf course, plus picnic facilities.
Weigand Riverfront Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 195 reviews
Quaint green space featuring picnic tables & benches, plus hiking trails & a seasonal sledding hill.
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.
Centennial Trail - Schneider's Passage
4.7 ★★★★★ 177 reviews
Peaceful, paved trail along the Des Plaines River suitable for hiking, biking, and viewing an eagle's nest.
Eagle Creek State Park Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 168 reviews
Wooded, lakefront recreation area offering hunting, fishing & camping, plus a golf course & resort.
Guilford County Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 161 reviews
Tranquil, flat park for leisurely walks and biking along a paved pathway and memorials.
Deer Run Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 153 reviews
Rambling riverside prairie & forest preserve spanning 594.8 acres with hiking & horse-riding trails.
Alta Rd. Trailhead Rock Island Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 137 reviews
Hiking area with picnic tables and a public restroom, where visitors can also run or bike.
Roland Olson Forest Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 130 reviews
Hiking, bird watching and prairie-restoration area featuring shaded trails.
Illinois Canyon
4.8 ★★★★★ 127 reviews
Mellow, circa 1-mile hike featuring a winding creek and waterfalls, plus canyon views.
La Vista Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 126 reviews
Dog-friendly park featuring an 18-hole disc golf course, plus paved and dirt trails.
Beulah Park Nature Area
4.4 ★★★★☆ 136 reviews
Scenic park featuring a playground, a creek and an open-air trail network for walking and biking.
Harmony Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 127 reviews
Family-friendly hiking area offering a trail through pine forest with a pond and wildlife.
Kinsey Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 122 reviews
Wooded area with mountain-biking trails featuring an Oz theme, plus walking paths.
Butterworth Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 134 reviews
Sprawling green space for picnics and biking, plus fishing and disc golf.
Silver Creek Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 118 reviews
Paved trail (1 mile) around a wetlands habitat, plus picnic tables and benches.
Comlara Park Bike Trails
4.7 ★★★★★ 113 reviews
Park for hiking and mountain biking, with a public restroom and a skills area.
Sauk Trail Woods
4.5 ★★★★★ 118 reviews
Forested 630-acre area bounded by a Native American thoroughfare, with trails, picnicking & a lake.
MEPRD Trailhead
4.9 ★★★★★ 102 reviews
Park offering a variety of trails for walking, biking, and exercising, plus public restrooms.
Julius J Knobeloch Woods Nature Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 97 reviews
Nature preserve with short, kid-friendly hiking trails and informational placards.
Spring Creek Preserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 82 reviews
Area for hiking and woodland walks, featuring a nature trail and picnic tables.
Old Plank Road Trail - Washington Street Access
4.6 ★★★★★ 84 reviews
Tree-lined hiking area with paved trails for walking, biking, and running.
Pingree Grove Forest Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 84 reviews
300+ acres of protected wetlands offering trails for biking, hiking & horseback riding.
North Branch Conservation Area
4.8 ★★★★★ 77 reviews
Open sunrise to sunset, this 521-acre natural area offers hiking, horseback riding, biking, camping, and wildlife-watching.
Kickapoo Rail Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 72 reviews
Popular hiking and biking path running from Urbana to St. Joseph, along which limestone gravel replaced an old rail line.
Green Earth Oakland Nature Preserve
4.7 ★★★★★ 67 reviews
Pet-friendly spot with a few short trails winding through the woods, plus an annual pumpkin glow event.
I&M Canal State Trail Access - Aux Sable
4.8 ★★★★★ 65 reviews
Hiking area with picnic tables and fishing spots.
George Doering Park
4.2 ★★★★☆ 72 reviews
Quiet park featuring a playground and a 4/10-mile loop, along with a picnic area.
Lakefront Trail - Dusable Harbor - 150 N
4.8 ★★★★★ 63 reviews
Popular 28-mile waterside route spanning 2 sides of the city and used for biking, running and walking.
Dayton Bluffs Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 62 reviews
Nature preserve featuring trails, views and waterfalls as well as old oak trees, burial mounds and a cemetery.
Virgil Gilman Nature Trail
4.4 ★★★★☆ 45 reviews
Park with kid-friendly hikes, wildlife and paved, gravel and asphalt trails.
Arches Rail TRAIL
4.4 ★★★★☆ 15 reviews
No trails match those filters.
By city
Every running trail in the town, not just the ones with flat, fast terrain.
- Ottawa
- Peoria
- Belleville
- Carbondale
- Chicago
- Collinsville
- Hampshire
- Naperville
- Roscoe
- Tinley Park
- Washington
- Addison
- Antioch
- Aurora
- Butler
- Carterville
- Cherry Valley
- DeKalb
- Dixon
- East Moline
- Edwardsville
- Elgin
- Elmhurst
- Findlay
- Glenview
- Godfrey
- Goreville
- Grayslake
- Hoffman Estates
- Hudson
- Joliet
- Lake Forest
- Lake Villa
- Madison
- Mascoutah
- Matteson
- McHenry
- Mettawa
- Morris
- O'Fallon
- Oak Brook
- Palos Park
- Peoria Heights
- Richmond
- Rockford
- Romeoville
- Round Lake
- South Chicago Heights
- Spring Grove
- Springfield
- Swansea
- Urbana
- Waterloo
- Whittington
- Woodridge
- Zion
See flat & fast running trails across the whole country, or every running trail in Illinois. You can also browse the other features or start from surface.