Review Date
December 13, 2010

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: 1trackDotOrg ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
An extensive, technical network of trails extending from Brookfield Zoo at 31st & Prairie Avenue out to Bemis Woods, Ogden Avenue & I-294 and beyond into DuPage County. Singletrack exists on both sides of Salt Creek for most stretches. Maps and more information are availablke at:
http://www.1track.org

This network of trails lacks the elevation changes that you get at Palos, but it is great, technical riding that is easy to get to from the city and not very well known, so you are more likely to have the trails to yourself. If you like to snow ride or XC ski, there is a good chance of getting fresh powder here as opposed to the more well known trails.

Recommended Route:
Start at 17th Avenue and the Salt Creek, ride to the east side of 17th and the south side of the creek, and follow the Brookfield Woods Snow Ride trails to the Brookfield Zoo.

Take the paved Salt Creek Greenway Trail back to 17th and proceed on the south side of the creek and the west side of 17th Avenue using the paved trail until the singletrack junction.

You can ride singletrack west from here all the way to Cermak Road and Mannheim Road on this side of the creek, and then cross the creek at Mannheim and take the north/east side trails back to 17th, although the stretch from Mannheim to the IHB railroad tracks is pretty rough, due to downfall and slovenly patrons.

You can also rejoin the paved trail south and west to just past 31st Street and Brainard Avenue, where another network of trails will take you into Bemis Woods and beyond to Fullersburg Woods in DuPage County.

Also, the paved trail now extends all the way to Busse Woods in Schaumburg, and so you can log as many miles as you care to on this network and not have to deal with any streets except to cross them!

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Consult the maps at http://www.1track.org for many more rides and detailed maps...

Review Date
July 11, 2003

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5, 2.00 votes

Reviewed by: Mike ,  Weekend Warrior , from Westchester, IL

Summary:
Rode part of this trail (from Manheim to the railroad tracks)for the 1st time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. It was in decent shape (a few downed trees in the way due to recent storms, and some broken glass behind the bowling alley - it is the Cook County Forest Preserve after all) but there are some good side trails, and a nice hill to climb by the railroad tracks.

Some parts are right along the banks of Salt Creek to provide some interesting terrain. Can't wait to check out the entire trail.

Review Date
October 30, 2000

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Please Select

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Reviewed by: T , from Lombard

Summary:
This place is nasty. The singletrack isn't all that bad, but the people who frequent this forest preserve (nonbikers) are just plain nasty. THere's so much freakin litter from all those low income scumbag families picnicing there that its really a shame. I went there a few weeks ago with my daughter and after our ride, as we were loading up the car, a bag of Sh*t comes rolling our way. It was a windy day and the wind blew it towards us, sh*t flying out of this plastic Kmart bag. I know I'm preaching to the choir in here, since it's not the bikers that are doing this. But maybe if we educated these ignorant scumbags they would clean up after themselves. Of course what do they care for, they have more important things to worry about. LIke immigration kicking them out. If it weren't for the litter and these scumbag families, i would have given this trail 2 stars.

Recommended Route:
parking off wolf road.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Like everyone else, Palos. A few "secret" trails that I'm not going to disclose.

Review Date
July 16, 2000

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: PeeWee

Summary:
while not the funnest track in the world, this provides some decent excercise. p.s. to go all the way to to zoo on the singletrack one must switch to the south side of the creek at 25th street.

Recommended Route:
see above

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Bullfrog