The Chainlink

North Shore Trails to Wisconsin... conditions?

Last Saturday I attempted to ride from Logan Square to Wisconsin on the North Shore Channel Trail and was planning on connecting to the Green Bay Trail and finally on to the Robert McClory. Does anyone have any update to the conditions of these trails? I had to turn around because my feet were too cold (I think I have solved the cold feet issue) but most of the paved path was covered in snow and ice. I am really hoping I get to make this trip tomorrow morning.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard Xavier on January 11, 2013 at 7:34pm

The Robert McClory trail is in great shape, from Highland Park to Great Lakes.

Permalink Reply by Uptown Joe on January 11, 2013 at 7:37pm

Thanks guys. Sounds like I will finally get to make this trip.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on January 11, 2013 at 9:30pm

I highly advise against using the McClory trail from Waukegan on. 

Permalink Reply by Uptown Joe on January 11, 2013 at 9:34pm

Jim, can you please be more specific as to why you would advice against that portion of the McClory Trail?

Jim S said:

I highly advise against using the McClory trail from Waukegan on. 

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on January 11, 2013 at 9:49pm

I'm guessing because there's like 15 billion street crossings. It gets very annoying and jarring.

Permalink Reply by James Hartman on January 11, 2013 at 9:54pm

I guess just ride with traffic on Sheridan from North Chicago. Gravel don't help road bikes.

Kelvin Mulcky said:

I'm guessing because there's like 15 billion street crossings. It gets very annoying and jarring.

Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on January 11, 2013 at 9:57pm

The dreary part of the McClory Trail is north of Great Lakes through Waukegan.   It goes through some ghettos and there is glass all over the trail, and as Kevin said, 15 billion bumpy street crossings.  North of Waukegan its not bad at all.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on January 12, 2013 at 12:06am

North Chicago is desolate and while the path is more or less marked (with Jersey barriers and broken glass running past chemical factories) then it turns to gravel with no tree cover.  It's okay if you're interested North Shore catenary towers that are still being used to carry power lines, and I'm glad to have ridden it, but I'd probably take Sheridan again if I went the same direction again.

Permalink Reply by Uptown Joe on January 12, 2013 at 8:11am

Kelvin, thanks for the clarification. I did notice when looking at Google Maps and was a little concerned it might get annoying with all the crossings. Envane, not worried about ghettos but thanks for the heads-up (I did notice some questionable areas on the Google Maps though). Thanks for confirming my suspicion. Is the broken glass that bad? Tricolor, thank you for giving me a picture of the scenery up there. No, I am not interested in any of that but I think I will still make the trip (Will most likely choose a different route but I haven't decided yet).

I would still like to ride the whole thing, atleast once, and maybe like choose a different route if I take the trip again. Thanks everyone for responding. I really appreciate the useful info. Have a good everyone.

Permalink Reply by James Hartman on January 12, 2013 at 9:17am

God, I Wish they concrete or black top the McClory gravel Path!

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on January 12, 2013 at 10:36am

None of the areas felt unsafe to me (granted this was on a September Sunday in daylight) and there aren't that many intersections and only two that make you wait as long as you may for a downtown Chicago intersection.  But it's dry and dusty and there's no shade.

I'm looking at southern and western trails, particularly the Illinois Prairie Path.  I just need to figure if it's worth a long ride from town on the Blue Line to get there.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on January 13, 2013 at 2:58pm

My first (and last!) experience with the north end of the McClory trail through Waukegan was on a very nice, spring afternoon. There were definitely some shady characters on the trail and mulling about nearby. 

As for the broken glass being that bad - yes, it is. As I've written before, one cannot even begin to wonder how that many broken 40z bottles of malt liquor made it out on to the trail.

If interested, you can search (or I can post) the WI/IL border portion of the north shore century which ever so wonderfully avoids the crappy part of the trail. I believe I also still have my cue sheet from the zoo ride which took a wonderful route that avoids the mess as well.

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