A former railroad corridor in northern Illinois has been reimagined as a long-distance trail that takes walkers and cyclists through open farmland, patches of native prairie, and small agricultural communities. The Long Prairie Trail stretches 14.2 miles across Boone County and into Winnebago County, following the old Chicago and Northwestern railroad bed.
Knowing what to expect before you go, including variable surface conditions and limited amenities, makes all the difference between a rewarding outing and a frustrating one.
Long Prairie Trail Turns a Railroad Bed Into a Long Rural Outing
Stretching 14.2 miles east to west across northern Illinois, the Long Prairie Trail gives walkers and cyclists a sustained route through genuinely rural country. The Boone County Conservation District, which manages the trail, identifies it as a hiking and biking path that runs from the Boone and McHenry County line on the east end to McMichael Road in Winnebago County on the west.
That span covers open agricultural land, scattered woodlands, and several small communities, making it one of the longer continuous trail experiences available in the region…