Fox River Bike Trail suggestions for a ride this Sunday?
The Air & Water Show is this weekend which means that any bike riding on the lakefront trail south of Fullerton means navigating visitors walking 7-abreast along the path or just standing on the path and gawking skyward. Time to get out of Dodge for a Sunday bike ride.
Anyone have a suggested 20-30 mile bike loop along the Fox River Bike Trail? Scenic (photogenic), staying along the river and asphalt are good considerations. Start in Aurora near Interstate 88? Interstate 90 near West Dundee?
I promise to share photos.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jared on -
Your planning on driving right? I think this is a Metra blackout weekend.
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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on
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Yup. Throwing the trike on a car rack - not an easy proposition - and driving out.
Jared said:Your planning on driving right? I think this is a Metra blackout weekend.
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Permalink Reply by Chris C on -
The FRT is entirely paved. It hugs the river the until you get north of Dundee. The Bicycle overlay in Google Maps is very accurate for this path.
There are a few segments of path that are closed:
1. Island Park in Geneva. There are detour signs. The detour is just for a few blocks.
2. The path is closed between State St in South Elgin north to the FRT/IPP junction due to bridge dis-repair. Some ignore the closure signs and bike it anyway. If you're on a trike it would be prudent to heed the closure. If heading north a work-around is to head east across the Fox River on the new bike bridge at Stearns Rd, take the IPP north at Dunham Rd and rejoin the FRT at the IPP/FRT junction. The really great news is that the IPP Elgin branch is now continuously paved from Stearns/Dunham northward.
Between Batavia and Geneva there are bike paths on both sides of the river. The west side path is a bit more enjoyable IMO. Same goes for the segment between Batavia to Aurora (ie the west side is better). From the Illinois Ave bridge in Aurora southward the trail becomes urban.
There are drinking fountains and restrooms along the way but you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for them. The northern-most drinking fountain (that I've seen) is at the sewage treatment plant on the north side of Elgin. The next one north is in Crystal Lake.
Craft breweries in Aurora (Two Brothers), and West Dundee (Emmett's). Batavia Creamery for ice cream. The House Pub in St. Charles (across the street from the path) is a pretty good beer bar (but no food last time I was there). Harner's Bakery/Restaurant on State St in North Aurora (just west up the hill from the path) has prime rib on weekends and great fried chicken.
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Thanks a bunch, Chris. Where would you suggest starting to go up one side and down another and get in 20 to 30 miles?
Chris C said:The FRT is entirely paved. It hugs the river the until you get north of Dundee. The Bicycle overlay in Google Maps is very accurate for this path.
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Permalink Reply by Chris C on
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From Metra's website:
3. Standard bicycles not exceeding 70 inches in length will be permitted. Tricycles, tandems, trailers, bulky attachments, training wheels or powered bicycles are prohibited.
My interpretation is that recumbent trikes are not permitted. Unfortunately.
Gene Tenner said:Yup. Throwing the trike on a car rack - not an easy proposition - and driving out.
Jared said:Your planning on driving right? I think this is a Metra blackout weekend.
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Permalink Reply by James BlackHeron on -
Fox River or other fully-paved trails are a good idea this weekend.
As of yesterday some of the crushed lime paths were getting pretty ugly with the recent rains. The Green Bay Trail had some bad sections just South of Highland Park yesterday -and I'm sure it's only gotten worse after the rains last night and this morning. Fortunately St. John's Ave is a good detour as it parallels the path next to these bad spots all the way between Ravinia and Highland Park and the area South of Ravinia doesn't have so much unpaved trail to worry about.
Maybe it will dry up some today and tomorrow. I bet other unpaved trails are having similar issues.
I like taking the Channel Trail to the Green Bay trail and riding up to Highland Park. From my place in Logan Square to HP and back it is 42.5 miles. If you turn around earlier you can cut that down to 30 miles round trip and avoid almost all of the crushed lime crap except for a mile or two at the end of the channel trail right before it hits the Green Bay in Evanston. If you want to get a full 50 in a loop around Ft. Sheridan makes a half-century. I plan on working up to that 3x a week in preparation for some Centuries later this fall and getting in better shape for CX season.
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Permalink Reply by Chris C on
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Lots of choices. Give the northern segment (Elgin to Crystal Lake) a try this time out. I-90 has an exit just east of the river that dumps you off about a block from the river. There are two parking lots close by along the river. One is literally under I-90. Both lots straddle the FRT.
Bike north from there. Approximately 12 miles north is a triple drinking fountain & public restroom, just north of Berkshire Ave. in Crystal Lake. If you want to add extra mileage explore south of where you parked. South will take you into Elgin. Elgin gets urban but has a well-designed river walk.
Gene Tenner said:Thanks a bunch, Chris. Where would you suggest starting to go up one side and down another and get in 20 to 30 miles?
Chris C said:The FRT is entirely paved. It hugs the river the until you get north of Dundee. The Bicycle overlay in Google Maps is very accurate for this path.
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Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on -
Tri-County Park on Stearns Rd, Barlett, offers a good base-camp, additional trails, parking, water and is centrally located smack-dab at the end of the Prairie-Path.
If you go that route, I might be in the 'hood.. let me know if you want one more bike!
ps... air show weekend is a metra bike-ban weekend
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Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on -
If you go to St. Charles, make sure to check out the "Fox Cycle".
It's a fox sculpture made entirely of mostly vintage bike parts. I thought it was really cool.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Bullis 5.5-6.5 miles on -
Part of the FRT is closed just north of the E. Dundee Depot for bridge replacement. Easy work around is to first stop at the Measuring Cup for coffee, then south one block on Barrington Ave, turn right and, boom, yer back on the trail.
Lots of folks start in E. Dundee as the town doesn't wake up early on Sunday. Park at the lot by the DQ or anywhere along N. River St. I can recommend Benedicts' on S. River for breakfast if you are going before 9am.
Lots of prairie critters visible west of Algonquin, hills and sharp turns past Crystal Lake, nice views all the way to Richmond.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on -
I concur on Benedict's.... Also, from Algonquin, you can hit the McHenry County Prairie Trail and go north past McHenry to Ringwood (Or Genoa City, WI if you want to ride the northern section of stones).... Just north of Crystal Lake, there is a GREAT section through Stearns Woods.... Some nice, short, steep climbs on the trail there.... Also, Between the two trail in Algonquin, there is a GREAT climb up Hintington Road.... About 100 feet of climb in a third of a mile.... At the top of the climb there is neat little park with a GREAT view of the river valley that you just climbed out of....
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Thanks Jared Chris, James, bk, MagMileMarauder, Mike and Larry. What extraordinary help. This makes me remember why I check this site out daily. It is chock full of kind, helpful people. More to come on Monday.
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