Des Plaines River Trail — Russell Road gravel return
Illinois · Greenway
From the public Russell Road trailhead join the main developed Des Plaines River Trail and head south for up to two miles, then retrace. Keep on the designated bicycle route, yield to horses where posted and turn back at flood/soft tread or barriers. Do not add the distant Lake Cook Road bridge approaches.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Wadsworth · Illinois
- Ride length
- Up to 4 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Developed gravel main river trail
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- Generally low river terrain, but gravel softens after rain and flood debris can obstruct the route. Wider ordinary tires suit firm dry tread.
- Starting location
- Des Plaines River Trail public Russell Road trailhead, 15601 W Russell Road, Wadsworth, IL
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Public Russell Road canoe-launch area reference near the river trail, not the exact mile-zero trailhead or a parking pin.
Des Plaines River Trail — Russell Road gravel return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Des Plaines River Trail public Russell Road trailhead, 15601 W Russell Road, Wadsworth, IL.
Use currently signed ordinary public visitor/trail spaces and walk the parking approach. Reserved events, private businesses, school-day lots and boat-trailer spaces are not assumed available. Posted gate, fee and lot terms govern; no guaranteed stall.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 4 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: From the public Russell Road trailhead join the main developed Des Plaines River Trail and head south for up to two miles, then retrace. Keep on the designated bicycle route, yield to horses where posted and turn back at flood/soft tread or barriers. Do not add the distant Lake Cook Road bridge approaches.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Developed gravel main river trail. Generally low river terrain, but gravel softens after rain and flood debris can obstruct the route. Wider ordinary tires suit firm dry tread.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Follow current public visitor-parking terms; reserved activities and events have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. Fresh indexed county owner trail directory confirms 31.4 miles of gravel open to walking and cycling along the river fromRussell Roadsouth. Dated prior manager evidence identifies this public mile-zero head/address. New Lake Cook Road bridge-approach proposals do not establish a current closure at this northern course. Full direct county detail retrieval was denied. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.