Bike Southern Illinois Trail or Single Track?
Exploring Southern Illinois by bike! Local bike shops are best resources in the area you expect to ride! S. IL has many established trails for mountain bikes and organized rides for all skill levels of cyclists!
George Rogers Clark Discover Trail
Enjoy an 8.8 mile adventure along this newest bike trail in Southern Illinois. The George Rodgers Clark Discovery Trail (GRCDT) celebrates an American hero who took the fight to the British in what is now Southern Illinois during the “Illinois Campaign of 1778.
The trail begins at Superman Square and ends in Brookport, IL. It is a multi-use path that is partially on low-use county roads and a paved trail. 3.6 miles of the GRCDT is in Fort Massac State Park. The longest prefab pedestrian bridge in Illinois is part of this trail where it crosses Seven Mile Creek inside the pakr.
Contact Information: 618-524-4712
Cedar Lake and Cove Hollow Trail
Shawnee National Forest Out and back about 8 miles long. Cedar Lake Trail has three faces, an intermediate eastern half, a fairly mellow western half and then there is Cove Hollow. Cove Hollow is a more technical extension. This single track loop is 13 miles long and will take around 6 hours You have 200 ft of elevation change and the terrain is steep and technical. If you go fast, you will catch some air! You can take either part or all of the Cedar Lake Trail since it is an “out and back” bike trail.
To get to the Cedar Lake trail from the Old Rt. 51, take Rt. 51 south 2 miles from SIUC until the intersection at Old Rt. 51. Turn right at Old Rt. 51 and continue about 5 miles to McGuire Road. Watch for the “River to River” trail crossing sign. Turn right at McGuire road, then take the first left at Rowen road. Proceed down Rowen until the trail head on the right.
Contact: Phoenix Cycles 618-540-3612
Chosen the best mountain bike trail in Illinois by Outside magazine (March 1998)
Red Cedar Mountain Bike Trail
Carbondale, IL
Red Cedar Mountain bike track is a more technical, single track loop. It is 13 miles long and will take around 6 hours You have 200 ft of elevation change and the terrain is steep and technical. If you go fast, you will catch some air!
Pyramid State Park
16.5 miles, hike, bike, horse trail Mountain Bikes Allowed
Contact: Pyramid State Park
1562 Pyramid Park Road
Pinckneyville, Illinois 62274
618-357-2574
Tunnel Hill State Trail
(Johnson & Saline counties) Harrisburg to Karnak
42 miles Limestone surface
Contact: IDNR, Tunnel Hill State Trail
Highway 146 East
P.O. Box 671
Vienna, Illinois 62995
618-658-2168
Trans-America Bicycle Trail
The Trans-America Bicycle route enters the state at Chester and continues east through the Shawnee Forest to Cave in Rock. To request TransAmerica Bicycle Trail maps call 800-721-8719
Rend Lake Bike Trail
This trail Runs from Rend Lake College south through Wayne Fitzgerald State Park ending at the N. Marcum Recreation area. Trail length is 9+ miles long.
For More Info: 618-724-2493
Trigg Tower Trails System
The Trigg Tower system includes a group mountain bike tracks. Gum Springs, Pakentuck Falls, Cedar Falls, and some of the of the River-to-River trail. The Gum Springs trailhead is about 45 minutes south of Carbondale, IL. Take I-24 South to exit 16. Go east until the Rt. 147. Go left Rt. 147 for 6.5 miles to Gilead Church Rd. Turn Left on Gilead Church Rd. for about a mile. Turn right on Gum Springs Rd. Trailhead is about 1.5 miles on your left.
For More Trail Information:
The Shawnee Mountain Biking Association! (website)
IDOT Bike Trail Maps
This site has generic maps to get you into the area that are PDF downloadable! (website)
Practice Trail Etiquette and Safety
Many mountain bike tracks are also equestrian trails. Be alert for horse riders on the trail. Always dismount your bike and allow the horse and rider to pass! Also, if it has been raining, many trails should be avoided as riding a wet or muddy trail can cause serious damage to the trail!