This section of the Des Plaines River Trail travels along the northern section of the trail between the Russell Road parking area just south of the Wisconsin/Illinois border to the Kilbourne Road parking area south of Highway 41. The trail follows the path of the Des Plaines River past multiple lakes and ponds, forest preserves, wetland areas, and natural areas that are home to abundant scenery, wildlife, and plantlife. The trail follows mostly flat terrain that is easy to follow making it a good option for riders of all skill levels. The trail is crushed limestone and dirt surface and is multi-use so watch out for other users along the route. The trail can be done as an out-and-back route or one-way route by shuttling vehicles between the many access areas along the trail.

The mountain bike trails in Kickapoo State Park provide some of the best trails and beautiful scenery Illinois has to offer. The network of trails consists of 5 loops that can be combined for a total of 6 miles of riding. This ride utilizes sections of these trails for a loop through the area but there are obviously many more trip options available. The trails provide lots of ups and downs through wooded terrain that add some fun challenge. The ride also provides some nice scenery as it travels over small creeks and passes by a lake. The trails are well-marked and contain arrows showing recommended direction of travel. Checking out the trail map of the area is advisable to get a good concept of how all the trails can connect.

Located along the Fox River, Saw Week Kee Park offers an excellent trail system for mountain bikers looking for a little challenge. The trails vary in difficulty giving riders of all skill levels multiple riding options. This loop ride covers just a portion of the trails within the park but there are multiple connecting paths and trails along the way. The park is a natural area so riders are only allowed on marked trails. There are dirt mounds, uneven trail, and lots of roller coaster terrain to make the ride enjoyable. The trails are also open to hikers, equestrian, and cross-country skiing so pay close attention to others along the trail as well as wildlife.

This loop trail located in the Palos/Sag Valley Forest Preserves explores the woodland and wetland terrain of the area as it passes by multiple small ponds, lakes, and sloughs that are home to abundant wildlife and plantlife. The trail connects to and is in close proximity to many other trail systems in the surrounding preserve areas providing riders with endless riding possibilities. The trails are singletrack dirt paths that are also used by hikers and runners so be aware of other users of the trail.

Located 10 minutes from the town of Peoria, this small recreation area offers lots of mountain biking opportunity on dirt roads that run through the area as well as miles of additional challenging singletrack trail that branch off and explore the diverse terrain. This ride follows the main dirt roads through the area that follow a creek for a fun and scenic beginner level ride. There are some stream crossings required to complete the ride. There is also a dam located in the recreation area and riding on the dam is prohibited.

Following an old railroad corridor between the towns of Alta and Toulon, this bike route offers miles and miles of wooded, shaded trail. The trail consists of mostly crushed limestone surface with some asphalt sections and bridges along the way. The trail is long and is best done as a one-way trip by shuttling vehicles between the two trailheads. The trail is wide, well-marked, mostly flat, and easy to follow making it a good option for bikers of all skill levels. The trail is multi-use so pedestrian traffic may be encountered along the way.

Located on the north side of the town of Perkin, the McNaughton Park trail system offers excellent trails for mountain biking and hiking in a peaceful and natural setting. There are multiple trail segments and loops that can be combined to customize the perfect ride so checking out a trail map of the area may be useful before setting out. This route follows multiple trails within the system to complete a fun and scenic figure-eight through the wooded terrain. The ride follows all dirt and grass trails with some nice climbs and descents along the way that will provide a little challenge. There are also a few manmade obstacles within the park to add additional technical challenge.

The Des Plaines River Trail travels for over 56 miles following the corridor of the Des Plaines River through multiple forest preserves, parks, industrial areas, and residential neighborhoods in Lake County. This section of trail starts at the Kilbourne Road parking area in northeast Gurnee and continues along the river past multiple parks, lakes, and Independence Grove Forest Preserve before the turnaround point at Old School Forest Preserve. Old School preserve offers more excellent trails that can be used to explore the area and is a great resting spot before heading back. The surface is mostly crushed stone and is very flat making it a nice trail for riders of all skill levels. The Des Plaines River trail has multiple access points and can be traveled as a one-way trip by shuttling vehicles or out-and-back trip providing riders with numerous riding options.

The Des Plaines River Trail travels for over 56 miles following the corridor of the Des Plaines River through multiple forest preserves, parks, industrial areas, and residential neighborhoods in Lake County. This scenic section of trail starts at the Old School Forest Preserve and continues past Half Day Forest Preserve, a golf course, and Ryerson Woods before ending at Lake Potawatomi. The surface is mostly crushed stone and is very flat making it a nice trail for riders of all skill levels. The Des Plaines River trail has multiple access points and can be traveled as a one-way trip by shuttling vehicles providing riders with numerous riding options.

Following the corridor of the Des Plaines River for over 56 miles, the Des Plaines River Trail takes riders through multiple forest preserves, parks, industrial areas, and residential neighborhoods in Lake County. This section of trail starts at Lake Potawatomi and continues south passing multiple woods, forest preserves, and lakes before ending at Campground Road Woods. Many of the forest preserve and parks along the route also have trails that can be ridden to explore the area more. The surface is mostly crushed stone and is very flat making it a nice trail for riders of all skill levels. The Des Plaines River trail has multiple access points and can be traveled as a one-way trip by shuttling vehicles or as an out-and-back trip providing riders with numerous riding options.