Kankakee River Trail

Winding through southwestern Chicago between Bourbonnais and Wilmington is this 10.6-mile cycling trail. Sheltered by oak and hickory trees and lush dense foliage, it is a great place to escape the city without heading too far out of town. The trail is hilly in some parts, although the majority of the route next to the western bank of the river is fairly flat. If you have a city bike, you might want to avoid the first couple of miles, as it is entirely on crushed gravel. However, the second leg of the path is paved asphalt, and it much better suited for non-mountain bikers.