Great Western Trail (Illinois)

Great Western Trail (Illinois)
Name	Great Western Trail
Location	DuPage County, Cook County, Illinois, United States
Length mi	12.0
Use	Hiking, Bicycling, Horseback Riding
Surface	Asphalt, Gravel
Established	1997
Operator	Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Great Western Trail (Illinois) is a multiuse regional corridor in northeastern Illinois linking suburban communities, conservation areas, and transit nodes across DuPage County, Illinois and Cook County, Illinois in the Chicago metropolitan area. The corridor follows a former railroad alignment and connects municipal parks, forest preserves, and waterways while serving commuters, recreational cyclists, equestrians, and birdwatchers visiting nearby Morton Arboretum, Loop (Chicago), and regional transit stations. Managed by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County with partnerships including the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and municipal governments, the trail integrates with larger networks such as the Grand Illinois Trail and American Discovery Trail corridors.

History

The corridor originated as a right-of-way constructed during the expansion of 19th-century railroads like the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company and related regional lines serving Chicago, Illinois industrial growth and the Union Stock Yards (Chicago). After mid-20th-century railroad consolidation involving companies such as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Norfolk Southern Railway, portions of the line were abandoned and parcels were acquired by county land agencies and municipalities. Local advocates, including municipal officials from Wheaton, Illinois, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and volunteer groups allied with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, promoted conversion consistent with precedents set by projects such as the Bloomingdale Trail and the Chicago Riverwalk. In the 1990s and early 2000s, capital funding and grants from entities like the Illinois Department of Transportation and partnerships with the Metra (commuter rail) planning staff enabled phased construction, culminating in continuous segments linked to the Great Lakes, regional bikeway initiatives, and the National Park Service outreach programs for recreational corridors.

Route and Description

The Great Western Trail runs roughly northwest–southeast between suburban nodes and connects to transit and parkland. Starting near the West Chicago Metra Station and passing through townships such as Winfield Township, DuPage County, Illinois, Wheaton, Illinois, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Lisle, Illinois and Darien, Illinois, the alignment parallels waterways including the East Branch DuPage River and interfaces with preserves like Blackwell Forest Preserve (DuPage County) and Fullersburg Woods (Oak Brook). The paved and crushed-stone surfaces accommodate mixed uses and cross municipal rights-of-way at intersections with arterials including Butterfield Road (Illinois), Ogden Avenue (U.S. Route 34), and corridors near Interstate 88 (Illinois) and Illinois Route 53. Trailheads offer parking, bike racks, and connections to Chicago Transit Authority and Pace (transit) bus routes and provide linkage to long-distance routes such as the American Discovery Trail portion through Illinois.

Trails and Amenities

Along its course the corridor includes multiuse pavement, equestrian segments, interpretive signage, and wayfinding kiosks developed in collaboration with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and municipal parks departments of Wheaton Park District and Lisle Park District. Amenities include trailheads with restrooms, picnic shelters near Community Park (Lisle), bicycle repair stations influenced by design guidance from the League of American Bicyclists, and lighting at key crossings comparable to treatments used on the Bloomingdale Trail and Chicago Lakefront Trail. Trail infrastructure crosses over heritage bridges repaired through programs resembling grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and reflects standards promoted by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the American Planning Association.

Natural Environment and Wildlife

The corridor traverses savanna, floodplain, and woodland habitats characteristic of northeastern Illinois and supports species recorded in surveys by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Audubon Society (United States). Vegetation communities adjacent to the alignment include remnant oak savanna, riparian willow and cottonwood stands, and restored prairie plots seeded through cooperative projects with the Morton Arboretum and The Nature Conservancy. Fauna observed along the route include migratory passerines tracked during counts organized by the Audubon Great Lakes chapter, raptors such as Red-tailed hawk and Cooper's hawk, mammals like white-tailed deer and Eastern cottontail, and amphibians documented by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources herpetofauna surveys. Stormwater management and invasive species control along the corridor follow best practices promoted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and regional conservation NGOs.

Recreation and Events

The trail hosts various recreational activities and community events organized by local agencies including charity rides coordinated with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and segmented runs tied to park district racing series similar to events staged by the Chicago Marathon organizational model. Seasonal programs include guided birding walks with the Chicago Ornithological Society, interpretive naturalist-led hikes with the Morton Arboretum outreach staff, equestrian meetups linked to regional horse clubs, and cycling advocacy outreach modeled after Bike Chicago initiatives. Annual stewardship days and volunteer trail workdays draw partners such as the Student Conservation Association and local high schools, while municipal wayfinding supports participating events sponsored by chambers of commerce in Wheaton, Illinois and Lisle, Illinois.

Management and Conservation

Ownership and management are shared among the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, municipal park districts, and utility easements, with conservation planning informed by regional commissions like the Metropolitan Planning Council (Chicago) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Funding and maintenance come from county levies, capital grants from the Illinois Department of Transportation, and philanthropic support analogous to programs by the Land Trust Alliance. Conservation priorities include habitat restoration guided by the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory and invasive species removal coordinated with the Illinois Invasive Species Council. Long-term planning integrates climate resilience and connectivity objectives promoted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regional guidance and aligns with regional trail master plans that reference corridors such as the Grand Illinois Trail and outreach partnerships with federal agencies.

Category:Trails in Illinois Category:Protected areas of DuPage County, Illinois