Review Date
June 15, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: JPockets ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Very nice area.. Illegal trails are best if you are bold enough to dodge the twig pigs and not concerned with adding to the erosion of closed trails. However the "official" trails are joker because of the dam horse crap/riders. BEWARE of older overweight women on horses that take casual rides thinking they are strohling through a vacant prarie. This is especially dangerous in the summer months when you can't see around the corners .

Recommended Route:
Take 4 hours and try them all! Search for "unofficial Cook Country Forest Preserve Maps" in google.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
3 Ravines

Review Date
May 17, 2002

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Reviewed by: KweB , from the SouthSide

Summary:
So heres the deal with the Swallow Cliff (and the whole Palos Forest Perserve Area), the good trails are the ones that are closed. If you have a moral issue with this or are afraid of being chased and/or caught by the Tree Cops and recieving a decent sized ticket, then these trails are not for you, but you will miss all the great riding in this area. I have rode the area for the last year at least once a week and have only been chased once and lucked out without the ticket. The best trails start at the very top of the toboggin slides. You can find you way up a few different ways 1)being the limestone path to the left of the parking area 2)carry your ride up the 60,000 uneven stairs next to the slide itself. Once at the top, with your back facing the slides, take the second right off the limestone onto the single track and you will find about 4-6 miles of great trails , sometimes technical, sometimes fast. There are no markings on the trails (they are illegal) so your first times out there may be alittle confusing, but its pretty hard to get really lost. I have a great time on these trails , and i wish they were legal. I dont really know the polotics behind the closing of trail systems, and really dont care. Ride and have Fun

Recommended Route:
can park at the Swallow Cliff Parking Lot on rt83 & Lagrange, or park in the Teason Woods Parking Lot alittle further down rt83

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Bullforg Lake Area

Review Date
November 18, 2001

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Mark Morris

Summary:
I have a very detailed map of the whole Swallow Cliff Area including the trails west of 104th Ave. & the trails East of Lagrange (Rt. 45)All trails are clearly marked from double wide trails to single track. This is a topographical map that is easy to understand. Any questions send to mark333m@netscape.com

Recommended Route:
Lagrange to 119th entrance or use Rt. 83 entrance
you also find parking at teason woods, cherry hill woods, or horsetail lake which are all on 104th ave. additional parking is availible at forty acre woods on 119th St. and also at palos park woods & McClaughty Springs woods which are located on Kean ave.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Swallow has many challenging technical trails if you know where to find them.

Review Date
November 8, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Dark Horse 82 , from Naperville

Summary:
It started off as a hard packed dirt path that we shared with hikers and horseback riders. There was also a good amount of elevation changes. Then, the path narrowed and turned into some very technical single track. I wasn't even sure if we were suppose to be here, but that's where the well marked path led us. Very muddy conditions, some techincal switchbacks, 2-3ft. drop-offs, logs and rocks. It was not a well laid out course which leads me to believe we weren't suppose to be there so I don't know if I'll do it again, and if I do, I'll probably just stay on the main path just to be on the safe side. Level of difficulty is not bad as long as you stay on the main path, otherwise it will be more challenging.

Recommended Route:
Coming from Naperville, I took LaGrange Rd. (US45) south and turned right at 119th into the parking lot. There's an entrance to the trail there.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
If you normally ride Waterfall Glenn/Argonne this is a nice changed of scenery and terrain plus more elevation changes.

Review Date
May 1, 2001

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: John SHeerin , from Oak Lawn

Summary:
i hike the area regularly and the prior review are correct. Much of the woodlands are closed to off trail biking due to severe erosian damage. The area is patrolled by FPD police bike patrols so its wise to stick to the established multiuse trails. That said - those trails are challenging and long enough for all but the most fanatical riders. A climb with bike up the tobaggan slide stairs gets the blood going and then ride down the trails into the more remote areas is fun and legal.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Bull frog lake