Illinois Prairie Path

The first rails-to-trails project in the United States, the Illinois Prairie Path is a network of trails that runs through many of Chicago's west suburbs. The crushed limestone path begins in Maywood (just west of Forest Park where the CTA Blue Line ends) and runs 16 miles to Wheaton, where it branches off into trails that will take you to Elgin, Aurora, Batavia and Geneva. True to its name, the various routes pass through some sections of restored prairie wildlife, as well as several parks.