Explore the best rated trails in Wood River, IL, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Arches Rail Trail and Benld-Gillespie Bike Trail . With more than 57 trails covering 608 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Started in Glencoe at the miniature railroad depot. Trail started out promising but seemed to get more and more narrow and is poorly marked. We attempted to follow the Al Foster trail. This really isn’t a 10 plus mile trail as it’s broken up. We originally started in Eureka and quickly realized the trail stops after roughly 1.7 miles. Luckily for us that after a few miles of an ever shrinking trail, we decided it wasn’t for us. Got back to our vehicle and put everything away just before a storm came through.
Rode this for Celebrate Trails Day. It’s a nice smooth ride that is mostly flat. It was a little crowded on a Saturday morning, but that is to be expected. There is plenty of room to pass. I was a little confused where the trail goes by the sports fields, but figured it out. We visit the park occasionally. It’s a nice spot to have a picnic or just hang out and watch the world go by.
Man this stretch would be mint if I could actually hear myself think along the parts that are literal feet from 170. So much energy and effort building a nice paved trail that is once again ruined by vehicles
I rode this trail in late 2023 from Russell Commons in Alton to Chain of Rocks bridge. The surface is old but well-maintained. A lot of filled cracks along the asphalt portion, views of the industrial use of the river (barge facilities, chemical plant), and several places where the trail comes down from the levee top and crosses a road, then climbs back up. I didn't find these hills to be particularly steep (and they're always short). The chip-and-seal surface of the next part of the trail could use fewer chips and more seal, although it was perfectly flat and smooth.
I left the trail at Chain of Rocks bridge, and did not ride the remaining 5 miles. The detailed MCT map shows after a few more miles it changes briefly to stone, then is paved & alongside city streets to its end.
Construction at the Missouri end of the bridge has led to some closures. There is a new park and trailhead facility being built in 2024; I haven't seen what the plans are to keep the bridge and connecting trail open during that phase. Parking on the Illinois side is plentiful.
This was a very nice addition to a ride along the levee in Illinois when I first rode across it around 2012. A decade later the displays are showing their age though the information on them is still readable and worthwhile, as is a ride along the original Route 66 surface that's almost 90 years old!
I rode from Alton, IL along the Confluence Trail, across Chain of Rocks Bridge (pedestrians and bikes only), then the full length of the St. Louis Riverfront trail to Gateway Arch and a little beyond. This made a very pleasant 55 mile round-trip.
The trail surface is generally quite good, but as an urban trail I preferred to mount my road bike with the wider tires I use on stone trails (I was also passed by fast riders on narrow tires). A new trailhead is being developed at the north end in 2024, but just a mile or so down the trail there are city parks with full facilities. As I continued south the landscape became more commercial and industrial (barge facilities, railroad terminal, auto graveyard). Rather than detracting from the ride I found it interesting to see what activities still remain from the Mississippi's heyday as a working river. Throughout this section the trail runs along the levee- on top, or along either side of it. There are a few "rest stop" facilities along this stretch, and painted arrows with an arch symbol reminded me of my destination.
Towards the south end the trail came to an abrupt end between 2 brick buildings. A one-block ride next to the building and through 2 open gates in a chain-link fence brought me onto a recognizable trail again. A long-term project has closed the trail from here to the Eads Bridge, but the detour is simple (go 1 block west and take the cobblestone street). The trail resumes at Gateway Arch National Park as a wide path along the river and past the statue of Lewis and Clark (and Seaman the dog), who are looking west through the Arch toward the vast new U.S. territory they have just returned from exploring.
The trail continues about a half mile further south, then ends with a flourish.
Trail is almost completely overgrown now. All access to confluence was closed. Too bad.
I rode this trail from Elsah to Pere Marquette. Several reviews say the paving is in bad shape. There are a few bumps that you would want to lift up off the seat, but they are not that bad. Going on and off some of the bridges are also a little rough. The scenery is great. Watch out for walnuts on the trail in the fall.
Decided to check out this trail on a warm fall day. I rode from Auburn - Divernon-Farmersville-Waggoner which made it around 40 miles round trip. Once I hit Farmersville, the trail was easy to locate at the end of S. Cleveland Street.
The trail passes through some woods and has a few gentle curves at the beginning. A couple benches and a picnic table were just off the trail the first half-mile from Farmersville, presumably for walkers. The trail quickly straightens out and heads south, the old rail line being rather obvious due to the flat, straight, fairly level path. I rode mid-morning, so still had the benefit of shade from the trees that lined either side of the path. At mid-day there would be a lot more sun because those trees would be ineffective in providing shade. I encountered two walkers (photographers, both with cameras) on this Saturday morning. No other cyclists, coming or going, but did catch up to an older gentleman and his wife/lady friend in a 4-wheel-drive Gator. He took up the entire path, and was driving around 5-7 mph, so I was able to pass him on the left by going into the grass. From a distance when I saw the vehicle I assumed it was someone doing maintenance on the trail. But when I passed him, it seemed obvious he was just ignoring the rules about no motorized vehicles.
By the description, the trail used to be asphalt, but now is mostly covered in crushed limestone. It was bumpy in parts ... the emerging weeds, fallen leaves, and limestone made it difficult to see the rough patches, but overall, it was a pretty smooth trail. I probably slowed down a good 2-3 mph from my average speed on the road, mostly due to the crushed gravel surface. I was glad I had let some air out of my 35c tires to make it a more comfortable ride on the bumpy sections.
The trail doesn't appear to be well-maintained ... the weeds are really grown up in parts, and they encroach right at the edge of the trail.
In Waggoner, two diamond-shaped yellow signs that start the trailhead say "Ride at your own risk." Yes, well, anytime you venture out of your house you assume certain risks. Does the highway coming into Main Street say "Drive at your own risk?" They have concrete barriers where the path is interrupted by roadways to deter anything larger than a bicycle on the trail.
The historic depot in Waggoner was locked at 10 am on a Saturday. I didn't see any sign if it has hours that it is open. Also, that building is pretty run down. The sign that says "Waggoner" is really faded and worn. It is no where near the pristine condition shown in the photo from 2013 on this site.
I took a short rest at the gazebo in Waggoner to consume a snack and beverage that I brought. As another reviewer mentioned, there is not even a vending machine in town, so bring any water/snacks with you. Farmersville has places to stop if needed.
All-in-all, a nice, short trail, which is a nice change of pace from always riding on the road. The trail itself has seen better days, to be sure, but still is a decent, ridable trail, one which I will do again.
Agree with others that signage is needed. Riding the short distance by the lake was enjoyable on a sunny September day.
Great walk/jog some areas along lake are shaded by trees. Good paved easy trail.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Scan the QR code to get TrailLink on your phone
