Overview:  The Robert McClory Bike Trail may be known by many names, but it's soul has always remained the same-a straight, flat bike trail that t... more »raverses through Lake County, IL from Highland Park on the south to the Wisconsin/Illinois State line on the north and all the eastern Lake County municipalities in between. This trail was born again from the now defunct Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee electric railroad corridor-hence it is sometimes mistakenly called the North Shore bike path/trail. Some locals may also call in the Green Bay trail, which it connects to on the south.

This paved and screened trail is 26.5 miles in length and connects to three other major trails-Green Bay Trail on the south, Kenosha County Bike Trail on the north, and the East-West North Shore trail in Lake Bluff. The trail parallels the Metra regional railway which runs North-South through Lake County. With both the connecting trails and Metra access, just about any lengh ride is possible whether it's one-way or round trip.

The bike trail alternates between tree lined urban throughways, quaint downtowns, and neighborhoods on the south end to more rural alternating prairies and tree sheltered trails on the north end. less «

Tips:  The Robert McClory Bike Path generally parallels the Metra route through Lake County, making one-way trips logistics easy as the Metra ... more »allows bikes on some trains. Parking at the Metra stations generally requires a fee. Check the Metra site at the link below for more info.

When biking anywhere, always wear a helmet.

Reflective and brightly colored clothing make you more visible to motorists, pedestrians, and other bikers.

Layered clothing is the best way to regulate your temperature during changing weather conditions. The temperature at Lake Michigan can be up to ten degrees cooler than further inland. less «