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This is a great trail for people looking for something scenic, straightforward, and fun. Very few hills/tough spots and not terribly crowded (on a gorgeous September Saturday) so it was a great choice to bike with our tween and teenager as well. It’s kind of a no-brainer...even where there are no signs, the trail is obvious and, if you get off by accident, you run along a parallel path until it joins back up.
I was afraid I’d get lost on this trail based on reviews but it was great! We started at the Arboretum in Evanston and followed the trail all the way on the West side to a great new bridge on Lincoln Avenue... we then followed the East side through some beautiful parks to Lawrence then headed back...14 miles or so round trip. We loved the extensive sculptures though there was a bit of noise on McCormick.
This trails continues to be improved so that with the exception of one section, you can ride 9.7 miles from a start in the Evanston Arboretum to end in Clark Play lot Park at Belmont Street in Chicago. It is all paved, and almost all at grade, travelling along 3 under paths, 2 bridges, a lovely arboretum and modern outdoor sculpture garden. There are a traffic lights at all but one street the path crosses. Almost any section of this trail will impress you and all of it will delight. Popular with locals and visitors alike; it highlights the wonderful diversity of the urban trails.
NOTE: Please update R-T-T's description of this trail , it's much more in 2020.
I rode from Downtown Evanston and directions to the trail just stop at some point. It's not actually called the Channel Trail when it cuts through various parks. The ride itself is pleasant when you actually find the trail - I wouldn't even bother with the east side of the channel because it's not really connected to the west side. Simplest thing is to get on at Golf Rd or green bay on west side of channel and ride south. I didn't ride south past Oakton because spent so much time trying to figure out the trail. So directions and signage are my actual complaints. The ride through arboretum and sculpture park is pleasant. Hoping locals can improve signage because the quality of the trail is good.
Won’t be riding this again on the road bike. Fumes from roads make this not so pleasant. Sculptures and play ground for kids are great but that’s about it. Got lost when it flips to other side of river. This route is for kids on bikes, not serious cyclists. Fun all the same with the kids for sure
Great Urban bike ride. Start out in a park in North Shore suburbs and goes into the north side of the city. Ride is in a park alongside the Water Reclamation canal. Goes along this very long sculpture garden to start. Wonderful sculptures. Take your time and enjoy the art or bike for exercise. Kind of cool as it zigs and zags. Pretty many road crossings, but well marked with lights. You end up going through a more urban park setting, and stop on Lawrence not far from Wrigleyville.
The northern portion of the trail that goes through the Evanston Arboretum and past the Ecology Center up to Green Bay Road is now paved with asphalt and is nice and smooth as of early 2016. So now the entire length from Green Bay Rd south to Devon Ave is Ashely or cement.
This is a nice urban trail.
The only negatives maybe the many zig zag turns and road crossings.
It's like one long park. It comes in handy for commuting.
The surface is in pretty good condition. Though, there are a few buckles along the Skokie part of the trail.
Trail is paved, nicely landscaped, with sculpture park a good part of the way. Only drawback is many traffic lights along the way.
Easy to connect to Green Bay Trail: take Prairie Avenue (just before Green Bay Rd) to Central, cross RR track underpass at Green Bay to Poplar Drive, which runs right into Green Bay Trail at Wilmette Avenue.
i bike this trail at least once every month during summer (maybe up to three times a month). i live it, it has amazing views!
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