PHOTOS OF

THE CENTENNIAL BIKE TRAIL

(Cook County Forest Preserve District)

The Centennial Trail is administered by the Cook County Forest Preserve District and is 20 miles in length from Lyons, IL in Cook County to Lockport, IL in Will County on land donated by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (formerly known as the Metropolitan Sanitary District) and named "Centennial Trail" in honor of the district's 100th anniversary. Some of the trail is through open prairie, but much is through forest, with rough gravel in places so road bikes are not recommended here.

This link in the Grand Illinois Trail System is 10 feet wide, often as a doubletrack, and has the feel in places like an old gravel road, paralleling the three waterways of the area, namely the Des Plaines River and the two canals (the old I & M Canal and its replacement, the Sanitary and Ship Canal). Maintenance seems infrequent so encroaching vegetation must be avoided and fallen trees must be detoured around. Connections are possible to the I & M Trail over bridges at Route 83 and also Willow Springs Road.