Beginning and ending in Grant Park, the Outerbelt extends as far south as Tinley Park and as far north as Libertyville, connecting many of the county forest preserves that surround the city. The length of each day’s hike on this suggested itinerary ranges from five to 15 miles. More ambitious hikers can tackle the loop in less time. Others can choose to complete it over the course of many months, or just hike a portion of it on a day trip. For a detailed, interactive map of the route and other suggested attractions and campsites, visit www.outerbelt.org.
Day 1
Buckingham Fountain → Steelworkers Park
Miles 12
Check out Steelworkers Park Climbing Wall (a 30-foot climbing and bouldering wall on a remnant of a massive former steel mill)
Day 2
Steelworkers Park → Camp Shabbona Woods,
Miles 15
Day 3
Camp Shabbona Woods → Sweet Woods in Glenwood
Miles 11
Day 4
Sweet Woods in Glenwood → Old Plank Road Trail
Miles 11
Check out Gabe’s Place (for an old-school diner breakfast)
Day 5
Old Plank Road Trail → Bartel Grassland
Miles 9
Check out Bartel Grassland (585 acres of former farmland restored to bird- and wildflower-filled native prairie)
Day 6
Bartel Grassland → Camp Sullivan
Miles 13
Day 7
Camp Sullivan → Cal-Sag Trail
Miles 10
Day 8
Cal-Sag Trail → Camp Bullfrog Lake
Miles 10
Check out Palos Forest Preserves (birds and wildflowers galore)
Day 9
Camp Bullfrog Lake → Salt Creek Trail
Miles 12
Check out Arie Crown Forest (sheltered picnic groves and three miles of woodland trails)
Day 10
Salt Creek Trail → DesPlaines Avenue in Forest Park
Miles 10
Day 11
DesPlaines Avenue in Forest Park → Catherine Chevalier Woods
Miles 10
Check out Trailside Museum of Natural History (nature displays in a Victorian mansion)
Day 12
Catherine Chevalier Woods → Camp Pine Woods
Miles 11
Day 13
Camp Pine Woods → Camp Dan Beard
Miles 6
Day 14
Camp Dan Beard → Old School Forest Preserve
Miles 12
Check out REI Vernon Hills (to buy that rain parka you forgot to pack)
Day 15
Old School Forest Preserve → South Park in Lake Forest
Miles 10
Day 16
South Park in Lake Forest → Little House of Glencoe
Miles 8
Check out Openland Lakeshore Preserve (pristine beach and bluffs)
Day 17
Little House of Glencoe → Thaddeus “Ted” Lechowicz Woods
Miles 12
Day 18
Thaddeus “Ted” Lechowicz Woods → Aragon Ballroom
Miles 10
Check out The Grafton Pub (for a perfectly poured imperial pint of Guinness)
Day 19
Aragon Ballroom → Buckingham Fountain
Miles 10
Check out Lincoln Park Zoo (commune with your favorite animals before the home stretch)
Source: Chicago Outerbelt Alliance; daily mileage is approximate
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This looks like typical Chicago BS. Trying to make something from a mish mosh of unorganized or planned trails. Hook them up properly, provide campsites, and get back to us.!
Are there camping sites or hostels easily available? If not, then this isn’t a true through hike.
Agreed
Two AT thru hikers that live on the north shore attempted this hike and ended after the first night. There video is on YouTube. See there video for details. Great idea, but there is not infrastructure to support this adventure. There needs to be legal campsites within the parks you are accessing.
How many of those end of day stops have an actual camp location? I mean the Aragon Ballroom? Does the thru hike camp on Lawrence under Lakeshore Drive?
Of course a Google Maps compatible map not available. Stuck up nerds want to make life difficult, for what?
Google Map is now available.
Wow!! The Chicago Outer Belt loop saved my sanity during the pandemic. (My husband and I just did endless out and backs on the trail…. Loved it so much. Thank you so much for the illustrated and clear guide.
I hope others enjoy it. I do think fall, winter and early spring are the best times for this loop. If interested we have some videos about our experience at Quietglow Adventures on YouTube – about half the videos are complete – I’m still working on the rest.
The openlands lakeshore preserve is currently closed to the public due to finding explosives… https://www.openlands.org/places/openlands-lakeshore-preserve/