MCT Monarch Valley Trail — short rail return
Illinois · Greenway
Join the public trail at its Emerson Avenue end and follow the former rail corridor toward Irma Street for up to half a mile, then retrace. Keep off adjacent private yards, ordinary streets and nearby park foot-only paths.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Edwardsville · Illinois
- Ride length
- Up to 1 mile return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Asphalt
- 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
- Mostly former-rail or low-relief terrain, with local rises, bridges, ramps and street crossings. No surveyed maximum grade; walk uncomfortable transitions.
- Starting location
- MCT Monarch Valley Trail public Emerson Avenue access, Edwardsville, IL
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Real vertex on the named operator main-trail line, separate from the written end-street or Park & Ride start. Not a parking pin.
MCT Monarch Valley Trail — short rail 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: MCT Monarch Valley Trail public Emerson Avenue access, Edwardsville, IL.
No verified dedicated trail parking at this named public access. Arrive by lawful public pedestrian/bicycle access, or independently arrange lawful visitor parking and walk to the path. Private, business and reserved lots are not assumed available.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 1 mile return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Join the public trail at its Emerson Avenue end and follow the former rail corridor toward Irma Street for up to half a mile, then retrace. Keep off adjacent private yards, ordinary streets and nearby park foot-only paths.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Asphalt. Mostly former-rail or low-relief terrain, with local rises, bridges, ramps and street crossings. No surveyed maximum grade; walk uncomfortable transitions.
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 operator profile identifies the named route, surface, endpoints and public end-street access, without a designated-parking promise. Operator closure list was checked alongside its public GIS. Follow actual current signs; regional system lengths and adjoining trails are not this outing mileage. 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.