Hikes Near Chicago

Chicago may not be known for its hiking trails but don’t let that deceive you, there are plenty of places to hike near Chicago. Because sometimes a city girl just needs to get in touch with her nature-loving self, here is a list of my favorite hikes near Chicago.

If you buy something through my links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support! See disclosure for details.

Lakefront Trail

• Location: Chicago, IL
• Distance from Chicago: 0 miles
• Driving Travel Time: 0 minutes
• Trail Distance: 18 miles
• Hiking Difficulty: Easy
• Entry Fee: Free

You literally do not need to leave Chicago to go on a long, beautiful walk. Luckily for us, those in charge of running Chicago years ago decided that the lake should be enjoyed by everyone, which is why 18 miles of Lake Michigan lakefront is a park, complete with walking and biking paths.

---

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve

• Location: Dupage County, IL
• Distance from Chicago: 25 miles
• Driving Travel Time: 25 minutes
• Trail Distance: 11 miles
• Hiking Difficulty: Easy
• Entry Fee: Free

One step into Waterfall Glen and you won’t believe you are less than 30 minutes outside of the city. Completely immersed in the wilderness there’s not one skyscraper insight or city sound to be heard. The name might be a little misleading because the waterfall is a small manmade one so don’t set your expectations too high, but the miles upon miles of trails for walking, biking, and horseback riding make the short trip well worth it.

---

Indiana Dunes National Park

• Location: Porter County, IN
• Distance from Chicago: 50 miles
• Driving Travel Time: 50 minutes
• Trail Distance: 50 miles
• Hiking Difficulty: Easy to difficult
• Entry Fee: Free for the National Park (except $6 per vehicle fee at West Beach) but note the State Park does have a $7 per car fee with Indiana plates, $12 per car fee with out of state plates
• Pictured above

While northwest Indiana is home to both a National Park and a State Park (and both are worth going to) I’m partial to the National Park which is home to Mount Baldy, the largest ‘living’ sand dune in either park system. 15 miles of southern Lake Michigan is the backdrop to the park and if you don’t want to go for a hike then relax at one of eight beaches.

---

Starved Rock State Park

• Location: LaSalle County, IL
• Distance from Chicago: 90 miles
• Driving Travel Time: 90 minutes
• Trail Distance: 13 miles
• Hiking Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Entry Fee: Free

Starved Rock is a beautiful state park not too far from the city. Here you’ll see impressive waterfalls and hike canyons. The time of year to go for the best chance of viewing the waterfall in action is Spring (April showers and such) but since it’s open year-round if you can catch a frozen waterfall that is a sight not many see.

---

Kettle Moraine State Forest: Southern Unit

• Location: Waukesha County, WI
• Distance from Chicago: 100 miles
• Driving Travel Time: 2 hours
• Trail Distance: Over 100 miles
• Hiking Difficulty: Easy to difficult
• Entry Fee: $8 per car with Wisconsin plates, $11 per car with out of state plates

Sure this is a little further away, but Kettle Moraine is perfect for the novice as well as the experienced hiker. It’s home to one of only 11 National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail follows the edge of the last glacier in Wisconsin. With hiking, camping, and fishing available, there is plenty to keep you entertained in Kettle Moraine. Note there is also a Northern Unit which is larger than the Southern Unit, but it’s farther from Chicago and a little more rural with fewer activities.

---

Visiting Chicago? Check out these related posts:

• 3-Day Chicago Itinerary for Spring and Summer
• Fall and Winter 3 Day Itinerary
• How to Get Around Downtown Chicago
• The Best Hotels in Chicago
• The Coolest Chicago VRBOs

---

DISCLOSURE: If you buy something through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. I only feature products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are my own. I am very obsessed with FTC compliance so check out my full disclosure for details.

---

Pin post to save for later: