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Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds loop from Wheeling

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Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds loop from Wheeling

Moderate

3.2

(10)

riders

Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds loop from Wheeling

03:12

40.0km

70m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Tips

Includes segments that go up or down a series of steps

You may need to carry your bike.

After 180 m for 8 m

After 39.9 km for 8 m

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

4.05 km

Des Plaines River Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The Des Plaines River Trail is a multi-use trail that follows the course of the Des Plaines River. It passes through picturesque, remarkable places.

Tip by

10.6 km

Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The Des Plaines River Trail stretches over 56 miles along the Des Plaines River, offering a scenic natural escape through Lake and Cook Counties, just outside Chicago. This multi-use trail features a mix of surfaces, including pavement, crushed stone, and single-track forest paths, making for an exciting and varied biking experience. The northern sections are well-maintained and popular, while the southern portions become narrower and more rugged. This particular portion of the Des Plaines River Trail passes through Half Day Forest Preserve with nice views of the river and several ponds.

Tip by

13.6 km

Des Plaines River bridge

Highlight • Bridge

The Des Plaines River flows southwards from Wisconsin and down through Illinois. It makes for an excellent cycling companion thanks to the trails that wind alongside it. This bridge spans the river in the Captain Daniel Wright Woods Preserve, east of Vernon Hills.

Tip by

14.8 km

Pond and Bridge at Captain Daniel Wright Woods Preserve

Highlight • Lake

This forest preserve offers a quiet escape from the city with a good selection of trails. All the trails are well marked and well maintained. You can also connect to the Des Plains River Trail to explore further afield.

Tip by

18.9 km

Des Plaines River Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

You can follow the trail for 56 miles along the Des Plaines River with gorgeous views of local preserves, watersheds, forests, and marshes. The trail is wide packed gravel and shared with hikers and the occasional horseback rider. Here your pass through the County Forest Preserve which has its own scenic trail network.

Tip by

22.4 km

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Highlight • Forest

MacArthur Woods is a preserved forest that showcases the original landscape of the eastern Des Plaines River Valley. The area features a diverse mix of plants, creating an important habitat for breeding forest birds, including the brown creeper, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk, veery, pileated woodpecker, and several rare warblers.

Tip by

23.7 km

Des Plaines River Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Des Plaines River Trail is a popular 2 mile popular gravel trail located near Mettawa, Illinois, that runs largely along the water. It is popular with cyclists, walkers, runners, and the occasional horseback rider.

Tip by

27.7 km

Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds

Highlight • Lake

Here you will find a gorgeous network of flat, crushed gravel trails that connect with the Des Plaines River Trail and other nearby preserves. The trails take you around scenic ponds, by picnic areas, and through the woods. This is a great place to see birds who use the ponds as migratory stops.

Tip by

40.0 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

23.7 km

14.3 km

1.58 km

213 m

188 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

23.7 km

14.6 km

1.38 km

223 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Friday 21 August

27°C

16°C

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Comments

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds loop from Wheeling

Des Plaines River Trail

Des Plaines River Trail – Half Day Forest Preserve

Des Plaines River bridge

Pond and Bridge at Captain Daniel Wright Woods Preserve

Des Plaines River Trail

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Des Plaines River Trail

Half Day Forest Preserve Ponds

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