Free guide: 25 hikes under 2 hours from Montreal 25 hikes near Montreal

Hiking in Illinois: explore the regions and the trails

Every region has its own hike.

Pick a region in Illinois, discover its landscapes and compare trails by duration, level and access: 9 trails in 2 regions.

By François Dumaine

Explore the regions

North Branch Trail, Chicago & Beyond · photo from the LGPO trail page

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The Essential Hiking Checklist

Everything you need for your next hike. Bilingual, printable, 1 page.

Download the free checklist

Which hike should you pick in Illinois?

A summit for the day

Gain some height: 1 of our trails climb more than 500 m.

See our selection

The regions in Illinois

Different landscapes. Real leads to help you choose.

Need a first pick?

Our selection of 9 hikes in Illinois.

See our Top 9 hikes in Illinois

Frequently asked questions

Where can I do an easy hike in Illinois?

1 of our 9 trails are rated easy; Land of Lincoln (1) have the most. For a first trail: Jubilee College State Park (1.0 km, 30 min).

How do I choose a hiking region?

For the widest choice: Chicago & Beyond (7 trails) and Land of Lincoln (2 trails).

Do I need to book access?

It depends on the place. parks and several reserves may charge an access fee, sometimes with a booking. The trail page says so when the information is known, and the site manager's own website remains the reference.