The 19 Best Hiking Trails in Chicago, IL
These are the 19 highest-rated hiking trails we list in Chicago, IL, ranked by what visitors actually say about them.
Lakefront Trail - Fullerton - 2400 N leads, with 4.9 stars from 316 reviews; The 606 follows at 4.8.
Between them they carry 7,852 Google reviews and average 4.8 stars. We weigh a rating by how many people left it, so a place with a handful of five-star reviews does not leapfrog one that thousands have rated nearly as well.
1.Lakefront Trail - Fullerton - 2400 N
4.9 · 316 reviews · Chicago
The top pick, holding 4.9 stars across 316 reviews. Dogs welcome.
2.The 606
4.8 · 2,234 reviews · Chicago
4.8 stars from 2,234 reviews, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
3.Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
4.8 · 1,050 reviews · Chicago
4.8 stars from 1,050 reviews, one of the most reviewed on this list. Good for kids and parking on site.
4.Lakefront Trail - North Trailhead - Ardmore Ave - 5800 N
4.8 · 342 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 342 reviews. Dogs welcome and good for kids.
5.Maple Lake East - Mountain Bike Staging Area
4.8 · 205 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 205 reviews. Good for kids and parking on site.
6.Lakefront Trail - Grant Park
4.8 · 200 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 200 reviews. Dogs welcome. Open around the clock.
7.Trailside Museum of Natural History
4.8 · 162 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 162 reviews. Good for kids, restrooms and parking on site.
8.Bloomingdale Trail Park - Eastern Trailhead
4.7 · 1,214 reviews · Chicago
4.7 stars from 1,214 reviews, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and good for kids.
9.Linne Woods
4.7 · 528 reviews · Chicago
4.7 stars from 528 reviews, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
10.Schiller Woods-East
4.7 · 520 reviews · Chicago
4.7 stars from 520 reviews, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
11.St. Paul Woods
4.7 · 150 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.7 from 150 reviews. Dogs welcome and good for kids.
12.Harms Woods-North
4.7 · 132 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.7 from 132 reviews. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
13.Central Park
4.6 · 456 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.6 from 456 reviews. Dogs welcome, good for kids and parking on site.
15.Lakefront Trail - Belmont Harbor - 3200 N
4.8 · 32 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 32 reviews. Dogs welcome. Open around the clock.
16.The Bloomingdale Trail - East Trailhead - Ashland Ave - 1600 W
4.8 · 32 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.8 from 32 reviews.
17.Lakefront Trail - Ohio Street Beach - 600N
4.9 · 23 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.9 from 23 reviews. Open around the clock.
18.North Branch Trail South End at Gompers Park
4.9 · 16 reviews · Chicago
Rated 4.9 from 16 reviews. Dogs welcome.
Common questions
What is the best hiking trail in Chicago, IL?
Lakefront Trail - Fullerton - 2400 N ranks first, with 4.9 out of 5 stars from 316 Google reviews.
Which hiking trails in Chicago, IL allow dogs?
Lakefront Trail - Fullerton - 2400 N, The 606, Lakefront Trail - North Trailhead - Ardmore Ave - 5800 N, Lakefront Trail - Grant Park and Bloomingdale Trail Park - Eastern Trailhead, among others, are listed as dog-friendly.
Which hiking trails in Chicago, IL are good for kids?
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Lakefront Trail - North Trailhead - Ardmore Ave - 5800 N, Maple Lake East - Mountain Bike Staging Area, Trailside Museum of Natural History and Bloomingdale Trail Park - Eastern Trailhead, among others, are flagged as family-friendly.
Do these hiking trails have restrooms?
1 of the 19 list restrooms on site. Check each place's page before you go, since facilities can close seasonally.
More guides
Rankings come from Google ratings and review counts, and refresh whenever the AllParx directory is updated. Conditions and hours change, so check a place's page before you travel.