Type: Paved Path/Trail, Point-to-point
Difficulty: 1 / 10
Dog Friendly: Yes, with leash
Jog-Stroller Friendly: Unknown
Filed Under: Running
The Green Bay Trail parallels the Metra train tracks and Green Bay Road on Chicago's North Shore. It stretches from downtown Wilmette in the south to at least downtown Highwood in the north and never strays more than about 3/4 mile from Lake Michigan. Wilmette to Highwood is at least 10 miles, but if you continue north for a mile or two on the streets where the trail "ends," you can pick it up again just west of Fort Sheridan. From this point, it continues north for who knows how far - a long way. The Trail is totally flat and mostly paved but has a few crushed gravel sections and several long stretches where there is at least a crushed gravel shoulder. Also, there are a few sections where 1/2 mile marks are painted on the path, but unfortunately there is not one unified marking system with distances. The trail can get crowded with bikers, rollerbladers, and baby strollers on weekends when the weather is nice. Run in the morning or during the week, and this will not be an issue. There are many access points but few street crossings as you run along the trail and through some of suburban Chicago's most exclusive neighborhoods.
The southernmost end of the Green Bay Trail is between the Wilmette Village Hall and the Metra train tracks. Another good place to start your run is the Kenilworth Police Station at Kenilworth Avenue just east of Green Bay Road. Basically, immediately east of Green Bay Road anywhere between Wilmette and Highwood, you can find the Green Bay Trail.
Posted by: cc runner and last modified on Feb 02, 2006 by thoos
Comments
Be the first to leave a comment, advice, or personal anecdote.
Leave a Comment