The Best Hiking Trails in Illinois

Set in the heart of downtown St. Louis near the riverfront, the Gateway Arch Trail encircles the base of the famous monument. The “trail” is not one particular route; rather it blends into the network of paved paths in Gateway Arch National Park and connects to the greenway trail along the river....

Combing a vibrant atmosphere with city and lake views, this is a superb linear hike along the edge of America's 3rd largest city, and the country's largest lake. (Lake Superior and Lake Huron are bigger, but they're shared with Canada!) If you want to do the full hike you'll need to use public transit, but just doing sections of this trip is still fun, and logistically simpler....

Nestled along the Des Plaines River, the River Trail Nature Center is part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The nature center offers a network of well-maintained trails for hiking, and the route we've drawn here winds through forested areas and along the riverbank, offering peaceful and scenic vistas along the way....

Just south of St. Louis is this newly expanded forest park with trails and a view of the Mississippi River. It also boasts some notable geology and interesting history. The Cliff Cave itself was once used as a tavern by French fur trappers and later as a cellar by a wine company....

The Des Plaines River Trail is a scenic multi-use trail located in northeastern Illinois, running from Chicago to the Wisconsin border. It follows the Des Plaines River, and covers approximately 56 miles....