The Grand Illinois Trail is a collection of trails looping Northern Illinois showcasing the diverse landscapes of Northern Illinois. The trail takes you from the the shores of Lake Michigan, through the prairie and farmland of Northern Illinois to the palisades of the Mississippi River, and back.
The trail is geared towards scenic and leisurely travel. The trail of trails starts at Chicago’s Navy Pier, takes your though remnant prairie land, climbs through hills of northwest Illinois where the glaciers did not visit, sweeps down the Mississippi, visit quaint towns national history touched like Galena, Ottawa, and Freeport, and returns the rider to the shores of Lake Michigan.
The Trail Blazer Program, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources contains 17 checkpoints along the trail. They created this program to stimulate use and awareness of the trail. A rider can make several trips within a year or complete a bike-thru of the GIT.
I will be taking day trips and a couple of over night excursions on the Grand Illinois Trail. Not only will I explore Northern Illinois during the trip, it is my cross training for the Illinois marathon and training for a five day ride down to St. Louis via the Route 66 Trail.
There are a number of official and unofficial resources for the Grand Illinois Trail. They offer a wealth of information from experienced riders and those who created the trail system. Below are a few links to get you started.
Resources
- League of Illinois Bicyclist – http://www.bikelib.org/maps-and-rides/route-guides/grand-illinois-trail/
- Openlands – http://www.openlands.org/index.php/Greenways/Projects/grand-illinois-trail.html
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources – http://dnr.state.il.us/orep/planning/git.htm
Tags: Bike Touring, Enjoy Illinois, Grand Illinois Trail, Illinois