Trail Conditions

Palos Forest Preserves

Willow Springs, IL

27+ Miles

Cross Country

Multi-difficulty

Trail Overview

Trail Length

27+ miles of singletrack

Difficulty Range

Green through Black Diamond

Hours

Sunrise to Sunset

Land Manager

Forest Preserves of Cook County

About the Trail System

The Palos singletrack trail system occupies roughly 2,500 acres within the expansive Palos Forest Preserves, an area of almost 15,000 acres with rolling hills, prairie, lakes, streams, sloughs, and Cook County’s only canyon. The area, known as the Mount Forest Island, comprises glacial moraine around which meltwater runoff flowed, leaving behind a prominent, triangular-shaped piece of land peppered with glacial erratics (rocks), rising more than 150 feet above the surrounding landscape – significant elevation for this area.

Illinois is blessed with being the second-flattest state, and Cook County is the second-most highly populated county in the nation, but thanks to all that glacial activity thousands of years ago, a little good fortune, and a lot of tireless dedication by those who have protected this landscape for later generations, Palos has become a favorite destination for many to recreate and enjoy nature. The Palos trail system offers a wide variety of options, from asphalt paths, to hilly gravel trails, to flowy singletrack, and technical rocky challenges. The system offers something for everyone and a new view around every corner.

Trail Zones

The Triangle

South of Archer Avenue, west of 104th Avenue, & north of 107th Street

• Mostly dirt-surface trails
• Easy to moderate difficulty
• Great for beginners and intermediate riders

View on Trailforks

The Canal Area

South of 107th Street and north of the Cal-Sag Channel

• Mix of easy-moderate and advanced trails
• Rocky and challenging terrain
• Spoils from Cal-Sag Channel construction

View on Trailforks

CAMBr's Role at Palos

CAMBr’s roots grew here in the early 1990s, when mountain biking was still considered a renegade activity. The local pioneers formed the Trail Users’ Rights Foundation (TURF – which later became CAMBr), and worked to foster a relationship with the FPCC. Recognizing that this relatively new but rapidly-growing sport needed a place to call home, the FPCC allowed TURF to begin building and maintaining sanctioned singletrack trails.

Since those early days, CAMBr has changed a lot, and so has the Palos trail system. CAMBr’s all-volunteer Palos Trail Crew puts in dozens of organized workdays, and many thousands of hours, each year, to develop and maintain the trails, promote a sense of community, work in harmony with the land manager, pick up trash, and make this place the best it can be for all trail users.

Why Volunteer?

Meet Fellow Riders

Connect with the local mountain biking community and make lasting friendships

Give Back

Make a lasting impact on the trails you love to ride

Learn New Skills

Gain trail building knowledge and sustainable construction techniques

Local Amenities

Bike Shops

Richard's Bicycles Palos Heights, IL

Spokes Wheaton

2Bici Bike Shop

Willow Springs, IL

Dining

The Irish Legend 8933 Archer Ave

Nino's Italian Beef & Hot Dogs 8850 Archer Ave

Transportation

Limited service on Metra's Heritage Line from Union Station.

Check Metra.com for details

Recommended Trailhead

Maple Lake East Mountain Bike Staging Area Approximately 1/4 mile west of 9500 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480

Important Trail Etiquette

  • Multi-user system: Expect to see runners, hikers, horses, dogs, and families on the trails.
  • Two-way traffic: You’ll encounter oncoming riders and other trail users.
  • Check trail conditions: If you’re leaving an imprint, it’s time to leave. Wet trails are susceptible to damage.
  • No earbuds or speakers: Enjoy Palos naturally so others can enjoy it too.
  • Safety first: Keep your head up and ALWAYS wear a helmet.

Palos Triangle Photos

Palos Canal Photos

Ready to Hit the Trails?

Join CAMBr and help us maintain and improve the Palos trail system

Become a Member

CAMBr Current
Trail Conditions

Natural surface trails and bike parks can be easily damaged when they’re soft, wet and/or muddy.  All trail users should stay off the singletrack trails and jump lines unless they’re dry, or frozen solid.  CAMBr volunteers put in many thousands of hours each year maintaining and constructing trails, and we closely monitor their condition.  

CAMBr uses the Trailbot smartphone app to publish trail conditions updates.  Trailbot is a completely free, ad-free, easy-to-use trail conditions app for iOS and Android  – so you’ll know what to expect before you go, and can make informed decisions when conditions aren’t favorable for hitting the singletrack.  

Visit Trailbot.com to download the app, or find it in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Within the app you’ll find not only current trail conditions updates for all your favorite CAMBr trails, but also weather information, trail descriptions, maps, and other useful links. Trailbot updates are also pushed to our website for easy access.

Please respect the trails, and all the work that goes into them, by staying off when they’re soft.

ABOVE ALL – IF YOU’RE LEAVING AN IMPRINT, IT’S TIME TO LEAVE

WHAT ARE FREEZE/THAW RULES?

There’s a season in the Chicago area, typically between mid-November and the end of March, when temperatures will drop below freezing at night and then warm up above freezing during the day. What this means for the trails is when actually frozen they are hard and good to ride. But when the temps go up and the moisture in the ground thaws, the dirt becomes very soft and muddy. This is because the water in the soil expands when frozen and it looses the tightly packed soil. The result is the trails can become very soft and muddy even if there hasn’t been much rain or snow fall.

So, to protect the trails from damage, only ride when the ground is frozen hard, and get off once the ground begins to warm up. South facing trails will usually soften up first, and if the sun it out and the temps get into the 30’s, you’ll probably need to be done by 10AM.

Remember, if you’re tires are leaving an imprint, it’s too soft to ride. 

Fat Bike Tire Pressure