Explore the best rated trails in Marion, IL. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Tunnel Hill State Trail and Paducah Greenway . With more than 7 trails covering 96 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Equality to Glen O. Jones Lake Bike Trail traverses an area where salt mining figured much in its early history. So did the Ohio River, which lies just 12 miles to the east, down the Saline River....
The Paducah Greenway (simply, The Greenway to locals, and officially, the Clyde F. Boyles Greenway Trail) is a 4.5-mile non-motorized pathway that links Paducah’s neighborhoods, parks and natural...
The Rend Lake Bike Trail, in the heart of southern Illinois, goes around nearly half of the second-largest man-made lake in the state. Along the way, trail-goers will enjoy picturesque views of the...
The George Rogers Clark Discovery Trail has a name from the history books, and it runs entirely through Fort Massac State Park—Illinois’ first State Park, now over 100 years old—with its recreated...
The City of Eldorado Bicycle and Walking Path is an excellent example of trails as linear parks. The City of Eldorado and the Eldorado Garden Study Club both work to keep the landscaped trailway and...
A dark railroad tunnel and two dozen trestles crossing streams and rocky ravines welcome visitors to the scenic Tunnel Hill State Trail as it travels 55 miles through forests and farmland in sparsely...
Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail meanders through the city of Cape Girardeau in southeastern Missouri following the Cape LaCroix Creek. Along the way, the paved trail connects Shawnee Park, Arena Park,...
The Equality to Glen O. Jones Lake Bike Trail traverses an area where salt mining figured much in its early history. So did the Ohio River, which lies just 12 miles to the east, down the Saline River....
A dark railroad tunnel and two dozen trestles crossing streams and rocky ravines welcome visitors to the scenic Tunnel Hill State Trail as it travels 55 miles through forests and farmland in sparsely...
The Rend Lake Bike Trail, in the heart of southern Illinois, goes around nearly half of the second-largest man-made lake in the state. Along the way, trail-goers will enjoy picturesque views of the...
The Paducah Greenway (simply, The Greenway to locals, and officially, the Clyde F. Boyles Greenway Trail) is a 4.5-mile non-motorized pathway that links Paducah’s neighborhoods, parks and natural...
The George Rogers Clark Discovery Trail has a name from the history books, and it runs entirely through Fort Massac State Park—Illinois’ first State Park, now over 100 years old—with its recreated...
The City of Eldorado Bicycle and Walking Path is an excellent example of trails as linear parks. The City of Eldorado and the Eldorado Garden Study Club both work to keep the landscaped trailway and...
Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail meanders through the city of Cape Girardeau in southeastern Missouri following the Cape LaCroix Creek. Along the way, the paved trail connects Shawnee Park, Arena Park,...
The Equality to Glen O. Jones Lake Bike Trail traverses an area where salt mining figured much in its early history. So did the Ohio River, which lies just 12 miles to the east, down the Saline River....
A dark railroad tunnel and two dozen trestles crossing streams and rocky ravines welcome visitors to the scenic Tunnel Hill State Trail as it travels 55 miles through forests and farmland in sparsely...
The George Rogers Clark Discovery Trail has a name from the history books, and it runs entirely through Fort Massac State Park—Illinois’ first State Park, now over 100 years old—with its recreated...
The Rend Lake Bike Trail, in the heart of southern Illinois, goes around nearly half of the second-largest man-made lake in the state. Along the way, trail-goers will enjoy picturesque views of the...
The City of Eldorado Bicycle and Walking Path is an excellent example of trails as linear parks. The City of Eldorado and the Eldorado Garden Study Club both work to keep the landscaped trailway and...
The Paducah Greenway (simply, The Greenway to locals, and officially, the Clyde F. Boyles Greenway Trail) is a 4.5-mile non-motorized pathway that links Paducah’s neighborhoods, parks and natural...
Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail meanders through the city of Cape Girardeau in southeastern Missouri following the Cape LaCroix Creek. Along the way, the paved trail connects Shawnee Park, Arena Park,...
Over two days, rode from the southern end at the Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center north to Stonefort. Beautiful scenery, lots of birds and very peaceful, encountered only a few other riders and walkers.
Beautiful area and April 8, 2022 lost dog Rosebud. Has on Grey reflective collar and tags and orange harness. Very fearful and will run. Please call with any sightings. 231 920-0735.
The bridge over Massac Creek has been replaced and fully open. This connects Fort Massac State Park to the concrete paved former railroad bed section of the trail and can continue on east to Brookport IL via county road and city streets. The concrete railroad bed section of the trail is the only section motorized vehicle prohibited. All other sections are shared with vehicle traffic. Note the stop signs have been stolen at the Belgrade Road crossing. This is the parking area with restrooms midway of the concrete trail section. Caution the traffic crossing the trail does not stop.
We parked in the public lot by the muraled flood wall but could only ride part of the trail to the west to where construction blocked us from continuing. The Detour sign led us to busy 45, with no indication of where the detour led. 45 has no shoulder or sidewalks. We missed half of the trail. Park at the west end, in Noble Park and ride east.
[[ AS OF JUNE 1ST 2021, THE TRAIL IS CLOSED BEHIND THE SMOKE SHOP GAS STATION FOR UPGRADES TO THE CITY STORM WATER DRAIN SYSTEM. THIS IS A SMALL SECTION OF THE FLOOD WALL TRAIL NEAR THE US HWY 45 OHIO RIVER BRIDGE. THE TRAIL IS OPEN ON EITHET SIDE, BUT NO DETOUR PROVIDED SO THE TRAIL IS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED AT THIS POINT.]]
Review:
The trail is not gravel, but crushed limestone on the original section. This is the wooded section behind Bluegrass downs accessible from Noble Park, Stuart Nelson Park, and now from a parking area off County Park Rd accessing a new section that connects a loop trail with some steep but doable hills around the old land fill, to Stuart Nelson park via a new bridge over Perkins Creek. A new phase has also been completed from the convention center along the Ohio River front to the park at the foot of Broadway and Kentucky Ave. There are restrooms by the trail downtown as well as shops and restaurants. The trail from Noble park to downtown Paducah is all concrete.
Construction of the double diamond intersection at I-24 Exit 4 has created a wide greenway style concrete walk bike path, but unfortunately it only extends to the stop light on either side of the interstate. It literally connects nothing to nothing. I was going to park at the mall and ride back into the city on Park Ave/Hwy 60, but one can’t even access the the walk from across the intersection. Unknown if there is planned expansion to connect to this or it’s something the interstate construction created with no practical use.
This is a great trail that offers plenty of options for all level of cyclists. The trail is well maintained but there are short sections where gravel was put down versus crushed limestone and could be a challenge for those riding a bicycle with skinny tires. Water was available on the trail but all the air pumps at the trailheads were unusable due to issues with the pump heads but the restrooms were open. There is tree canopy along 95% of the trail which made all the difference on an unseasonably warm day for May. There was plenty of wildlife to be experienced especially as we launched back to our car at sunrise which included deer, box turtles, chipmunks, lizards and of course snakes which included some of the poisonous variety. We spent the night in Harrisburg and enjoyed a superb gastro experience at Morello's with an extensive menu and excellent wait staff. In my opinion, I would avoid the section of the trail from Harrisburg to El Dorado as it is poorly maintained, exposed to the sun and eventually turns into a road. Enjoy the Tunnel Hill Trail experience!
My husband and I rode from New Burnside to 4 miles past Tunnel Hill—about 22 miles. The tunnel was cool, literally. Ride is Almost entirely wooded—saw a snake, possum, turtle, otter (I think) butterflies and birds. A great day!
We rode from Vienna to Tunnel Hill & back. A beautiful, scenic, peaceful ride. 20 miles round trip. Don’t miss this ride!!!!
Just started walking this at lunch and it great. Flat mostly shady, clean and all concrete
We went riding on a beautiful day! We began on the end near river, and it was clean, sunny, and had some beautiful views. My 3 boys really enjoyed the ramps in the skateboarding park in Nobel Park. Afterwards the trail became wooded with crushed rock and was so peaceful and scenic. We passed by the disc golf course and the trail ended with an optional loop that I was told just became an extension about a year ago! It had hills and some bumps for fun. There is even a mountain bike practice area along this loop! I hope it generates more use once people find out about it.
Stayed at the Main Brothers camp ground in Karnak, IL which is about 2 miles from the official trail head. The primitive camp sites at main brothers were right next to the road. Full trail is 110 miles plus the two I road to the trail head. Trail is more rough than people say. Choose the right bike. Trail north of Harrisburg is single track so 15 miles round trip was slow going and full sun. Bring water but know there are a lot of water stops. Get food in Harrisburg if you ride that far. There is only one true tunnel so know that and expect to enjoy a lot of nature.
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