Explore This Secret Trail Around One Of The Only National Historic Sites In Illinois
By Linze Rice|Published August 16, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
Smack dab in the heart of the Midwest, Illinois has always played an essential role in history by being a crucial passageway for transportation. From National Historic Byways to famous roadways like Historic Route 66 to ancient waterways, the Prairie State has been an active middleman. Today, many of those passages are historic sites and landmarks, and some can even still be traversed as hiking trails. When I discovered that this national historic site trail in Forest View, Illinois combined both history and nature, I knew it was something special. It’s easy to see why this significant site is one of the most popular outdoor spots in the area.
The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is one of only two National Historic Sites in Illinois. It marks the western end of a historic travel route that connects the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. It includes a statue that pays homage to early explorers, as well as an unpaved trail loop.
Located conveniently on Harlem Avenue just north of I-55, the trail is approximately 1.3 miles and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. It's considered beginner-friendly and is open year-round from sundown to sunset.
The 50-acre park became a National Historic Site in 1952 for its historical significance. The site, originally a swamp area known as Mud Lake, was first used as a waterway by Native Americans, and in 1673 it was used by French explorers Louis Joliet and missionary Father Jacques Marquette.
In the 1800s, a canal was dug between the Des Plaines River and the South Branch of the Chicago River, which is known as the I&M Canal. The canal helped solidify Chicago as a trading hub.
Today, it's a site easily accessed by bike, foot, or car, with a parking lot on site. It has a small unpaved loop that includes footbridges that take you through a wooded area.
The area has a picnic shelter for an afternoon lunch, and the trails are great for hiking, jogging, cycling, skating, and cross-country skiing in the winter.
The trail also connects to the greater Salt Creek Trail System, which provides several paved and unpaved trails throughout the nearby suburbs, including Brookfield Zoo.
So, would you add an exploration of this national historic site trail in Forest View, Illinois to your adventure bucket list? Do you have another little-known trail in Illinois that you’d recommend? Tell us in the comments! Start planning your visit by checking out the Forest Preserves of Cook County website, and making sure you’re packed like a pro with this handy checklist of the ultimate hiking gear essentials.
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