I was doing some research for bike trails in NW IL and wanted to find one that would be suitable for my nine year old. He's a decent biker but I didn't wan't a trail with swooping hills that would make it tough for a longer ride. The Jane Addams trail is as flat as can be without any hills in the section we biked, which was from the Wes Block Trailhead up to Orangeville, IL.
The Jane Addams trail is 17 total miles in length and can be picked up at numerous streets and towns along the way. Two popular starting locations at the south end of the trail are Tutty's Crossing in downtown Freeport and the Wes Block Trailhead on the northwest side of town. From the Wes Block parking lot we proceeded north. We quickly found the trail to be exactly what we wanted. The path is smooth and easy to ride, and pretty well maintained (very little debris). The majority of the trail has tree canopy but you can also find the sun in many spots. Farmland, ponds, marshes, forests and rivers primarily envelope the trail on both sides. Four small communities are found directly along the path heading north from Freeport.
The trail itself is beautiful. It's very flat and very smooth, and works well for children. You're one with nature on this path and will likely spot numerous birds, insects and animals along the way. We crossed paths with a frog (which my son nearly rolled over) a hummingbird, cows and some other stuff. There are other interesting sites to see including some old barns and structures, a train car, twenty+ bridges, and a few sections where you're between rock walls, which was one of our favorite parts of the trail. The JA trail didn't have a whole lot of traffic when we went. I believe we saw maybe four other bikers during our 11 mile ride north to Orangeville. Despite the lack of riders we saw several benches along the way, even a port-a-potty at one stop. Bring your own amenities (food/water) though, as the only two places you'll find either are in Freeport and Orangeville.
If you're looking for a quiet and peaceful ride with a great escape into nature this is a great trail to experience. We rode the balance of the trail including over 22 miles and found every stretch of it to be perfect. Cheers! read more