Near I & M Canal Trail
Old trestle going over the I & M Canal.
Near I & M Canal Trail
Section of trail in Morris. Notice the footbridge connecting to the neighborhood on the other side of the canal.
Near I & M Canal Trail
Section of trail in the small town of Seneca.

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Driving Directions
Hike Trail

I & M Canal Trail

4.5 (2 Ratings)
Over sixty contiguous miles of crushed limestone goodness.
60.8
mi
Distance
101
ft
Gain
moderate
Difficulty
BirdingFall ColorsLakeRiver/CreekViewsWildflowersWildlife
Access Issues
No motorized vehicles (Snowmobiles are allowed in the winter), No firearms, and no horses. Aqueduct carrying trail and canal over the Nettle Creek in Morris at Gebhard Woods collapsed during a flood 3 years ago. You must follow city streets to Gebhard Woods to continue the trail west or east from that point.

Route Details

Flatter
Steeper
60.8mi
Distance
101ft
Elevation Gain
173ft
Elevation Loss
15%
Max Grade
537ft
High Point
450ft
Low Point
Path Type
Point to Point
Description
The Illinois and Michigan (I & M) Canal Trail runs along an old canal tow road that was built to pull barges along the I & M Canal. The canal was constructed from 1823 to 1848 and connected the Illinois River to Lake Michigan. Upon completion, cargo could move from the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Michigan. The original tow road was 96 miles long there are currently 61.5 miles open to the public. This doubletrack trail runs from Rockdale to Peru a majority of which is constructed of packed crushed limestone which very easy on the knees. There are many access points along the way in the many small towns along the trail. It is also connected to five state parks, Channahon State Park, Aux Sable access area, William G. Stratton State Park, Gebhard Wood State Park, and Buffalo Rock State Park.

Route Conditions

Report Conditions
No Condition Reports
Report Conditions

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Contributors
Luke Brisk