5 Best Hikes In Illinois To See Our Beautiful State

We get it, some people just aren’t into the outdoors. Maybe you want to see some beautiful places in Illinois, but don’t care to journey out over every trek out there. If you are looking for the absolute best of the best hikes in Illinois, look no further! These are the five that are definitely worth dusting off your old gym shoes for. These scenic routes will take you through the state’s most fascinating landscapes. They should be at the top of anyone’s Illinois hiking bucket list. Even if you aren’t typically a hiker and don’t want to get out there and explore a trail every weekend, these hikes are more than worth making the effort for. Check them out:

Lowden-Miller River Loop in the Lowden-Miller State Forest: 1365 W. Castle Rock Rd, Oregon, IL 61061

Wikimedia Commons/IvoShandor Not far from Rockford is the little town of Oregon, which is home to the beautiful 2,291-acre Lowden-Miller Forest. There, you’ll find a 4.7-mile loop trail that is one of the most scenic hikes in Illinois. You’ll go past Rock River, 120-foot bluffs, and other natural wonders. This is such a beautiful hike in a very underrated forest! Lowden - Miller Forest, Oregon, IL 61061, USA

Garden of the Gods Recreation Area in Shawnee National Forest: Herod, IL 62947

Flickr/Stephanie Richard The Garden of the Gods Recreation Area is a hiking area that is part of the Shawnee National Forest. This trail is way at the very bottom of the state. It might not sound like much: at only 0.25 miles, it’s much shorter than you’d expect a bucket-list hike to be. But what a quarter-mile it is! You’ll see some truly amazing sights in this short hike, including rocks that are as high as 300 feet tall. There are so many rock formations here that show a fascinating history of water and wind erosion. This is such a unique place that’s every bit as beautiful as its name suggests. Garden of the Gods Road, Garden of the Gods Rd, Illinois, USA

Des Plaines River Trail: Lake County, IL

Facebook/River Trail Nature Center This gravel trail is longer than most on this list: at 31.4 miles, it travels through almost all of Lake County. This is one you probably don’t want to attempt the entire length of if you aren’t already an experienced hiker, but there’s nothing stopping even a novice from partially completing the trail! The trail follows the mighty Des Plaines River, which is completely surrounded by a nature preserve. It connects neighborhoods to one another and also nature. There are various access points all throughout the trail with entrances, so you don’t have to take the entire trek by any means. There are also plenty of covered picnic tables and benches for resting throughout. This one definitely belongs on your bucket list of best hikes in Illinois! Des Plaines River Trail, Chicago, IL, USA

Rim Rock Recreational Trail in Shawnee National Forest: Eagle Creek, RR 1 Box 198B, Findlay, IL 62534

Flickr/Curtis Abert This 1.7-mile loop trail is a great option for those looking for kid-friendly hikes around Illinois or who aren’t looking for something too strenuous. You’ll be lead around a large rock and then down stairs to the valley floor of the Shawnee National Forest. One of the most notable landmarks on the trail is the aptly-named Fat Man’s Misery, a narrow passage through the walls of the earth. It is pretty spectacular, but has the tendency to be overlooked because it’s so close to the magnificent Garden of the Gods. This is a great family-friendly hike that everyone can enjoy. Eagle Creek State Recreation Area, 2341 Eagle Creek Road, Findlay, IL 62534, USA

Illinois Prairie Path: Cook/DuPane/Kane Counties, IL

Wikipedia/Lpangelrob This historic trail was the first successful North American rail-to-trail project. More than 61 miles of unused railroad were turned into walking/biking paths to create this beautiful hike back in 1963. It runs through some of northeastern Illinois’s most scenic countryside. There are tons of great brides throughout the trail, so there are lots of opportunities to stop for some beautiful photographs. The line used to be part of the Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Electric Railway and it’s wonderful to see it being used for something else now that the rail line is out of business. Have you ever hiked a rails-to-trail project? Illinois Prairie Path, Maywood, IL, USA

For more lovely places to enjoy the outdoors, check out these seven natural attractions hiding in Illinois.

Wikimedia Commons/IvoShandor

Not far from Rockford is the little town of Oregon, which is home to the beautiful 2,291-acre Lowden-Miller Forest. There, you’ll find a 4.7-mile loop trail that is one of the most scenic hikes in Illinois. You’ll go past Rock River, 120-foot bluffs, and other natural wonders. This is such a beautiful hike in a very underrated forest!

Lowden - Miller Forest, Oregon, IL 61061, USA

Flickr/Stephanie Richard

The Garden of the Gods Recreation Area is a hiking area that is part of the Shawnee National Forest. This trail is way at the very bottom of the state. It might not sound like much: at only 0.25 miles, it’s much shorter than you’d expect a bucket-list hike to be. But what a quarter-mile it is! You’ll see some truly amazing sights in this short hike, including rocks that are as high as 300 feet tall. There are so many rock formations here that show a fascinating history of water and wind erosion. This is such a unique place that’s every bit as beautiful as its name suggests.

Garden of the Gods Road, Garden of the Gods Rd, Illinois, USA

Facebook/River Trail Nature Center

This gravel trail is longer than most on this list: at 31.4 miles, it travels through almost all of Lake County. This is one you probably don’t want to attempt the entire length of if you aren’t already an experienced hiker, but there’s nothing stopping even a novice from partially completing the trail! The trail follows the mighty Des Plaines River, which is completely surrounded by a nature preserve. It connects neighborhoods to one another and also nature. There are various access points all throughout the trail with entrances, so you don’t have to take the entire trek by any means. There are also plenty of covered picnic tables and benches for resting throughout. This one definitely belongs on your bucket list of best hikes in Illinois!

Des Plaines River Trail, Chicago, IL, USA

Flickr/Curtis Abert

This 1.7-mile loop trail is a great option for those looking for kid-friendly hikes around Illinois or who aren’t looking for something too strenuous. You’ll be lead around a large rock and then down stairs to the valley floor of the Shawnee National Forest. One of the most notable landmarks on the trail is the aptly-named Fat Man’s Misery, a narrow passage through the walls of the earth. It is pretty spectacular, but has the tendency to be overlooked because it’s so close to the magnificent Garden of the Gods. This is a great family-friendly hike that everyone can enjoy.

Eagle Creek State Recreation Area, 2341 Eagle Creek Road, Findlay, IL 62534, USA

Wikipedia/Lpangelrob

This historic trail was the first successful North American rail-to-trail project. More than 61 miles of unused railroad were turned into walking/biking paths to create this beautiful hike back in 1963. It runs through some of northeastern Illinois’s most scenic countryside. There are tons of great brides throughout the trail, so there are lots of opportunities to stop for some beautiful photographs. The line used to be part of the Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin Electric Railway and it’s wonderful to see it being used for something else now that the rail line is out of business. Have you ever hiked a rails-to-trail project?

Illinois Prairie Path, Maywood, IL, USA

Have you ever taken one of these hikes? Or do you have another nominee for “best hikes in Illinois?” Share your thoughts in the comments!

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Hiking Trails Near Me In Illinois March 10, 2022 Lisa Sammons What are some more kid-friendly hikes around Illinois? Matthiessen State Park is one of our favorite state parks just because it’s got so many great trails, many of which are relatively short and suitable for kids. For more short and easy hikes in Illinois, check out this list. What is another scenic hike in Illinois? We can’t recommend Illinois Beach State Park enough! It’s got miles of trail right on Lake Michigan, and there’s something so special about a beach trail. Check out some other recommendations! Are there any hikes with waterfalls in Illinois? Head over to the Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail and you’ll actually be able to swim underneath a waterfall! This is an absolutely amazing trail that you won’t forget.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Hiking Trails Near Me In Illinois

March 10, 2022

Lisa Sammons

What are some more kid-friendly hikes around Illinois? Matthiessen State Park is one of our favorite state parks just because it’s got so many great trails, many of which are relatively short and suitable for kids. For more short and easy hikes in Illinois, check out this list. What is another scenic hike in Illinois? We can’t recommend Illinois Beach State Park enough! It’s got miles of trail right on Lake Michigan, and there’s something so special about a beach trail. Check out some other recommendations! Are there any hikes with waterfalls in Illinois? Head over to the Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail and you’ll actually be able to swim underneath a waterfall! This is an absolutely amazing trail that you won’t forget.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Matthiessen State Park is one of our favorite state parks just because it’s got so many great trails, many of which are relatively short and suitable for kids. For more short and easy hikes in Illinois, check out this list.

What is another scenic hike in Illinois?

We can’t recommend Illinois Beach State Park enough! It’s got miles of trail right on Lake Michigan, and there’s something so special about a beach trail. Check out some other recommendations!

Are there any hikes with waterfalls in Illinois?

Head over to the Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail and you’ll actually be able to swim underneath a waterfall! This is an absolutely amazing trail that you won’t forget.