Trail Distance: 8.0 miles
Trail Surface: Paved
Type of Use: Fat tire/mountain, Leisure
Towns:  Park Forest, South Chicago Heights, Lansing, Glenwood
County: Cook
Intensity of Use: Unknown
Setting: Forest preserve
Connecting Trails: When funding permits, plans are underway for extendingthe trails alongside Thorn Creek to connect Lansing Woods to Sauk Trail Lake. Take WesternAve. South to connect with the University Park South Bikeway System (Park Forest South).
Directions for parking: Take the Calumet Expressway to Glenwood-DyerRoad. Head east .3 mile to Stony Island Avenue. Turn left (north) on Stony Island andproceed to Glenwood-Lansing Road. Turn right (east) on Glenwood-Lansing. Turn left intothe North Creek Meadow Preserve parking area. The bike path can be accessed at the far endof the parking area.
Trail Map:

Rider's Comments: Lansing Woods trail skirts Torrence Avenue for anoisy ride due to traffic. After crossing Torrence and entering North Creek Meadow, thenoise diminishes. I saw a huge hawk in this Meadow, and a bluebird (not a bluejay). TheSauk Trail Lake Trail is heavily wooded. The trail follows the perimeter of the Lake. Isaw four deer, among them twin fawns. The deer are so adept at camouflage that they standalongside the trail as you whiz by on your bike. Slow down and try to view them drinkingat the lake. Nice Trail.

Thorn Creek Greenway (Cook) is a protected area spanning 7500 acres along the beautifulThorn Creek.  The creek squirms through Cook County's southern edge, emptying intothe Little Calumet River.  About 17 miles of the trail runs through the greenway,consisting of Forest Preserves and Wetlands.

Currently the preserve is divided into two sections: North & South.  Futureplans are to connect the trails.

Northern Section
Heading east from the North Creek parking area, the 10-foot-wide trail crosses TorrenceAvenue and continues along Glenwood-Lansing Road. A long bridge provides a safe passageover the Calumet Expressway. As you approach Cottage Grove Avenue, the path turns northand heads to the Sweet Woods Preserve north of the community of Glenwood. Biking or hikingthe entire trail is a 9.2-mile trip assuming backtracking.

Rustic restrooms, water pumps, and picnic tables can be found near the parking areas ofthe three preserves along the way. The trail is relatively flat with a few hills in spots.The bike path is clean and well-maintained.

Unpaved Multi-Use Trail
North of the shelter at the Sweet Woods Preserve you will find access to a 5-mile packedearth multi-use trail which runs from Vincennes Road north of Glenwood east to TorrenceAvenue near Lansing. Much of the path is through woodlands often on bluffs overlookingThorn and North Creeks. The Forest Preserve District map labels this trail"developed." That is a bit of an overstatement. The trail has mud holes, deepruts, and tree roots. It's fine for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians, but not agood choice for a road bike.

Southern Section
Two hundred years ago, the Sauk Trail, a Native-American trade route, ran from theMississippi River to Fort Detroit on Lake St. Clair. Today the Sauk Trail Road in thesouthern tip of Cook County follows part of this ancient pathway. In the Sauk Trail WoodsForest Preserve you will find a very hilly 4.7-mile asphalt bicycle path around Sauk TrailLake and through the woods.

For Detailed Information Contact:
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
536 N Harlem Av
River Forest, IL 60305
708-366-9420 or 773-261-8400

Do you have rider comments or new trails?  If so, email bikeillinois@jawa.org
This page was last revised at: Thursday, December 02, 1999 10:58:22 AM

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