It’s Time to Take a Hike in Spectacular Chicago! The best way to experience Chicagoland is by hiking it! Get outdoors with Illinois author Ted Villaire as he helps you find and enjoy the top hikes within 60 miles of the city. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected trails transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body. Go bird-watching at Goose Lake Prairie. Immerse yourself in history along the I&M Canal Trail. Experience breathtaking views from secluded Lake Michigan beaches. Marvel at the awe-inspiring sand dunes in Northwest Indiana. With a highly accomplished outdoors writer as your guide, you’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of Chicago’s best hikes! Each hike description features key at-a-glance information on distance, difficulty, scenery, traffic, hiking time, and more, so you can quickly and easily learn about each trail. Detailed directions, GPS-based trail maps, and elevation profiles help to ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. Tips on nearby activities further enhance your enjoyment of every outing. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor to the area, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Chicago provides plenty of options for a couple hours or a full day of adventure, all within about an hour from Chicago and the surrounding communities. Ted Villaire is the author of Best Bike Rides Chicago , Best Rail Trails Illinois , Road Biking Illinois , and Camping Illinois (all for FalconGuides) in addition to this guidebook. He has worked as a reporter for numerous daily and weekly newspapers and is currently communications director for the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for better biking, walking, and public transport in the Chicago area. He also frequently gives presentations about local biking and hiking opportunities. Ted holds a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a master’s degree from DePaul University in Chicago. He and his wife, Christine, live on Chicago’s Northwest Side. Visit his website, tedvillaire.com, or email him at ted@tedvillaire.com. PRATT’S WAYNE LOOP AS THE LARGEST forest preserve in DuPage County, Pratt’s Wayne Woods has no shortage of marshes, ponds, and prairies to explore. The western section of the preserve hosts sprawling open spaces, interrupted now and then with picturesque wetlands and groves of elm and cottonwood. DISTANCE & CONFIGURATION: 6-mile loop DIFFICULTY: Easy–moderate SCENERY: Ponds, lakes, prairies, savannas, marshes, and woodland EXPOSURE: Mostly exposed TRAIL TRAFFIC: Mostly light; moderate on the Prairie Path section TRAIL SURFACE: Crushed gravel, mowed grass HIKING TIME: 2.5–3 hours DRIVING DISTANCE: 37 miles from Millennium Park ACCESS: Daily, 1 hour after sunrise–1 hour after sunset; no fees or permits MAPS: Available in the parking lot and at the website below; USGS Geneva, IL, and West Chicago, IL FACILITIES: Restrooms, water, picnic tables and shelter, fishing piers WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: None on main route CONTACT: 630-933-7200, dupageforest.com/places-to-go/forest-preserves/pratts-wayne-woods LOCATION: 6N179 Powis Road, West Chicago, IL 60185 (West Entrance) COMMENTS: Dogs must be on leash no longer than 10 feet except in the preserve’s off-leash areas. Although Army Trail Road is not terribly busy, use caution while hiking a short segment along the road. Also proceed with great care through the equestrian area if horses are present. DESCRIPTION Located in the far northwestern corner of DuPage County, this 3,432-acre forest preserve was pieced together with the help of an assortment of landowners. Some grew corn and grain here, some mined gravel, while others used the setting for a hunting and fishing club. After the preserve got its start in 1965 with the donation of 170 acres by the state of Illinois, a couple of the parcels were sold to the county by George Pratt, a local township supervisor and county forest preserve commissioner. The preserve is named after both Pratt and the nearby community of Wayne. The hike begins by circling tree-fringed ponds on the northwest side of Pickerel Lake. Find the trailhead by heading right (west) along the lakeshore and looking for the crushed-gravel path at the far edge of the last parking lot. Once on the trail, you’ll pass the east end of Catfish Pond on the right and then pass a paved wheelchair-accessible trail on the left that leads to one of two fishing piers on Pickerel Lake. After the trail to the pier, follow the next trail left, which brings you to the shoreline of Beaver Slough. Many banks of the slough are reinforced with stacks of limestone that sometimes serve as steps leading to the water’s edge. All three of these ponds, as well as Pickerel Lake, were gravel pits about 50 years ago. Keep straight ahead at the c