Great American Rail-Trail In Illinois
Illinois’ Great River Trail | Photo by TrailLink user lkgatu
In Illinois, the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail is poised to stretch across the northern part of the state from the Chicago metropolitan area to the Mississippi River.
Existing trails that host a majority of the route include the Hennepin Canal Parkway, which still contains many of the old locks and aqueducts from its namesake, the early-20th-century Hennepin Canal, and the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Park Trail, which traverses the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, designated in 1984 as the first National Heritage Area in the United States. Toward the end of the Great American route in Illinois, the Great River Trail features the river communities along the mighty Mississippi—including the Quad Cities of East Moline and Rock Island.
Illinois stories along the Great American Rail-Trail
The “Great American” Route Through Illinois
The route through Illinois incorporates most of the northern leg of the Grand Illinois Trail between Lansing, Illinois, and the Quad Cities. The iconic Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail and Hennepin Canal Parkway make up almost 75% of the existing miles that the Great American Rail-Trail will use to cross the state. Strategic investments will be required to develop just over 25 miles of trail gaps and fully connect the Great American across Illinois.
190.5
Total Miles165.4
Existing Miles25.1
Gap Miles86.8%
Complete
Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment (2026)
The Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment 2026 defined the preferred route of the Great American Rail- Trail as more than 3,700 miles—with 2,086 miles of existing trails and 1,674 miles of trail gaps.
Economic Potential of the Great American Rail-Trail Report (2022)
Investments could generate more than $229.4 million in visitor spending, $104 million in labor income, and $22.8 million in new tax revenue.
Trails Along the Route
Gateway Trail: Hennepin Canal Parkway
The 104.5-mile Hennepin Canal Parkway, administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as a state park, follows an old towpath along the Hennepin Canal, first opened in 1907. The canal was originally built to link the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Most of the various locks and aqueducts necessary to span the 105-mile distance are still in place, and the entire canal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hennepin Canal Parkway will host the Great American Rail-Trail for 59.7 miles, connecting Bureau Junction to Colona, the western terminus of the Hennepin Canal Parkway. View trail map on TrailLink.
Pennsy Greenway
Following what was once a Penn Central railway route, the 14.5-mile Pennsy Greenway now connects two counties in two states (Cook County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana), as well as the communities of Lansing, Illinois, and Indiana’s Munster and Schererville along the way. View trail map on TrailLink.
Thorn Creek Trail
The Thorn Creek Trail offers a paved 17-mile route traveling through woodlands and several communities on the southern outskirts of Chicago. The Forest Preserves of Cook County championed and currently maintains the Thorn Creek Trail. The Thorn Creek Trail will host the Great American Rail-Trail for 10.4 miles, connecting Thornton south to Chicago Heights. The Thorn Creek Trail is part of the Grand Illinois Trail system. View trail map on TrailLink.
Old Plank Road Trail
The Old Plank Road Trail travels 21.7 miles west from Chicago Heights to Joliet across a densely populated suburban landscape. The trail follows what was once a trail created and used by indigenous peoples around Lake Michigan that was later used by fur trappers and early settlers. Business interests eventually acquired the trail for the old Michigan Central Railroad line. The Old Plank Road Trail is part of the Grand Illinois Trail system. View trail map on TrailLink.
Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail
The 79.5-mile Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail follows the Illinois and Michigan Canal alongside the Illinois River. The trail traverses the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor, designated in 1984 as the first National Heritage Area in the United States. Along the trail are multiple state parks, historical sites and opportunities to observe wildlife. The Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail will host the Great American Rail-Trail for 60.8 miles to connect the village of Rockdale, southwest of Joliet, to LaSalle at the Illinois River. View trail map on TrailLink.
Beacon Harbor Parkway Trail
The Great American Rail-Trail will utilize 1.1 miles of an existing trail that heads west along 13th Avenue in East Moline. The trail leads to the East Moline City Office on Beacon Harbor Parkway. Near the Beacon Harbor welcome center, which faces the Mississippi River, the city recently invested in benches and upgrades to the trail. A large development is planned for this area, including a hotel that could increase the desire for trails and act as a logical trailhead for visitors. View trail map on TrailLink.
Great River Trail
The Great River Trail is a 62.5-mile trail that travels along the banks of the Mississippi River between Savanna and Rock Island, Illinois. The Great River Trail will host the Great American Rail-Trail for 7.7 miles, heading southwest from East Moline to Rock Island. View trail map on TrailLink.
Government/Arsenal Bridge
The Quad Cities provide two trail crossings of the Mississippi River from which Great American Rail-Trail users can choose. The Government/Arsenal Bridge is a multimodal bridge that contains a bicycle and pedestrian element and crosses between Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. In 2021, the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge (I-74 Bridge) was completed, providing a new multimodal crossing of the Mississippi River between East Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa. Both bridges are about the same length and accommodate trail users. View trail map on TrailLink.
Grand Illinois Trail (East Moline)
The city of East Moline opened a roughly 3-mile section of the Grand Illinois Trail in the fall of 2022. It is a part of the regional trail system and connects the town of Silvis to the Mississippi River. View trail map on TrailLink.
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Completing the Great American Rail-Trail: Catalyst Initiatives in Illinois
In every state along the preferred route of the Great American, needs for completing the trail vary. To spur trail completion, RTC has identified initial catalyst initiatives—projects or challenges that would most benefit from RTC’s national breadth of resources. (View the complete list of catalyst initiatives and criteria here.) Through these initiatives, RTC will support local and state partners, investing time, expertise and organizational resources in specific projects that are critical to the ultimate completion of the Great American Rail-Trail.
Statewide Trail Funding
RTC will advocate for use of unobligated federal funding for trails, including funds from the Transportation Alternatives Program and the Recreational Trails Program, to meet development needs along the preferred route of the Great American. Special emphasis will be placed on the maintenance and capital improvement needs of the Hennepin Canal Parkway, one of the Great American gateway trails.
Great American Rail-Trail Preferred Route
