Des Plaines River Trail

Des Plaines River Trail is a multi-use greenway following the Des Plaines River through northeastern Illinois, connecting urban and suburban landscapes between Lake Michigan watershed corridors and inland riverine preserves. The corridor links municipal park systems such as the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Lake County Forest Preserves, and Will County Forest Preserve District while intersecting transportation arteries like Interstate 55, Interstate 294, and U.S. Route 12. As a regional recreational spine, the trail integrates with cultural sites including Ravinia Festival, Braidwood, and ecological institutions such as the Morton Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Garden, and Nature Conservancy preserves.

Route and Description

The route parallels the Des Plaines River from near Will County, northward through Plainfield, Illinois, Joliet, Illinois, Lemont, Illinois, Romeoville, Illinois, Bolingbrook, Illinois, Woodridge, Illinois, Naperville, Illinois, Wheaton, Illinois, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Des Plaines, Illinois, Wheeling, Illinois, and into Lake County, Illinois parklands near Glencoe, Illinois and Highland Park, Illinois. It traverses diverse jurisdictions including Cook County Board and the Lake County Board park networks, crossing waterways such as the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Kankakee River tributaries, and tributary corridors managed by agencies like the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Surface types alternate between asphalt and crushed stone, with segments connected to regional trails like the North Branch Trail, Illinois Prairie Path, and Grand Illinois Trail to form longer-distance routes tied to initiatives by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and state programs administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

History and Development

Origins of the corridor trace to indigenous presence, early Euro-American settlement, and riverine transport used during periods involving entities such as the Illinois and Michigan Canal project and the Chicago Portage National Historic Site. Industrial-era routing near Joliet Correctional Center and actions by railroad companies including the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company influenced early right-of-way patterns. Conservation and recreational development accelerated in the 20th century through advocacy by organizations like the Sierra Club Chicago Chapter, the Openlands nonprofit, and local civic groups collaborating with county forest preserve districts and federal programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Major expansion phases involved grant awards from the Illinois Department of Transportation and planning partnerships with metropolitan agencies like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission.

Natural Environment and Wildlife

The riparian corridor supports habitats documented by conservation entities including the Illinois Natural History Survey, Audubon Society, and regional chapters of the The Nature Conservancy. Vegetation communities range from floodplain forest and wetland marshes to oak savanna fragments and prairie remnants noted by researchers at the Morton Arboretum and the Field Museum of Natural History. Fauna observed along the corridor include species monitored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service such as white-tailed deer, river otter, great blue heron, bald eagle, and migratory songbirds cataloged by the Chicago Ornithological Society. Aquatic ecology has been affected by invasive species tracked by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and restoration efforts coordinated with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and local watershed partnerships like the Des Plaines River Watershed Project.

Recreation and Facilities

Trail amenities are provided by municipal park districts such as the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Lake County Forest Preserves, and town-level agencies like the Naperville Park District, Bolingbrook Park District, and Joliet Park District. Facilities include trailheads, parking, restrooms, picnic shelters, equestrian staging areas, and interpretive signage developed with partners like the National Park Service and local historical societies including the Will County Historical Society. Programming ranges from volunteer cleanups organized by Friends of the Forest Preserves affiliates to community events tied to institutions such as the Riverside Foundation and outdoor education by the Chicago Park District and university extensions like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign outreach. The corridor connects recreational nodes like the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve, Pilcher Park, Waterfall Glen, and links to commercial centers and transit hubs such as Chicago O'Hare International Airport via regional transit agencies including Metra and Pace (transit).

Management and Maintenance

Management is a cooperative network involving county forest preserve agencies, municipal park districts, state entities including the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission, and federal stakeholders like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers where flood control infrastructure intersects the trail. Funding and maintenance derive from property tax levies administered by county boards, capital grants from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, volunteer labor coordinated with nonprofits such as Trailkeepers of Cook County, and intergovernmental agreements brokered through bodies like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Ongoing issues addressed by managers include habitat restoration projects supported by the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve model, flood mitigation tied to Great Lakes Basin hydrology, invasive species control coordinated with the Illinois Invasive Species Council, and safety planning in coordination with law enforcement agencies such as the Cook County Sheriff's Office and local police departments.

Category:Trails in Illinois Category:Protected areas of Cook County, Illinois Category:Protected areas of Lake County, Illinois Category:Protected areas of Will County, Illinois