by David Scott
Useful links:
http://allerton.illinois.edu/ (Allerton Park Website)
http://www.monticelloillinois.net/ (Monticello Website -- "more than imagined")

Allerton Park, near Monticello, is my favorite place in central Illinois, with its combination of statuary and trails, formal gardens and woodlands. It has the best range and display of spring wild flowers in the area. For running, there are options on both sides of the river. It is possible to do both sides in one grand tour of about 12.5 miles. The bridge over the Sangamon River has been closed off for repairs (which are not going to be done any time soon), and this limits vehicle passage, but on foot it is possible to circumvent the fence.

To get to the north (house) side, take the second Monticello exit from I-72 (coming from Champaign), and follow the brown signs to the Park. From the main parking lot, the trail goes through an avenue of trees back along beside the road to the pagoda and right into the Fu Dog garden and down to the river. Follow the river (the trail here is often under water after heavy rain) past the house and the edge of the meadow and the trail up to the Centaur until the trail to the Sunsinger is reached. Go up this, around the Sunsinger and back half way down to the Centaur trail. Follow this, passing the Centaur, to the Sunken Garden. From here, finish through the formal gardens or the meadow to get back to the parking lot (5.5 miles). This is roughly the course followed by the Allerton Park Trail Run in late October.

To get to the south side of the Park, approach via Monticello (coming from the north, turn right at the McDonalds and left at the golf course). Park in the small parking lot just inside the entrance on the left. The trail heads out the back of the lot. Turn right at every trail junction (excluding a couple of trails that take you straight out the Park), and you will do about 6 miles before returning to the parking lot. The trails pass through natural woodlands with gentle gradients and a 50-acre prairie restoration. There are several trails which can be used to shorten the loop (as on the north side, maps are posted at trail junctions). The trails on this side (especially at the far end) can flood after rain, too.
Breakfast: Montgomery's on the square in Monticello. A cut above the ordinary breakfast. Alternatively for brunch, just off the square, the Brown Bag Deli with its famous pies by Inge (closed Sundays).

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/R3/CLINTON.HTM (Clinton Lake Website)
http://www.ilohwy.com/f/farmerci.htm (Farmer City website)
http://www.wwhp.com/ ("The Whip" -- great radio station broadcasting from Farmer City on 98.3 FM)

This trail loops around the north(-west) arm of Clinton Lake in De Witt County. The outward leg heads south on the west side of the lake; the return north is on the east side of the water. It is 9.5 to 11 miles long, depending on whether you believe Chris Migotsky's Pod pedometer, or the length you really think it is. The trail is seldom flat for most of its length, as it makes short steep ascents and descents up and down from tributary creeks (much like the Lake Mingo trail). It is the toughest trail in the area, excepting the Forest Glen Backpack Trail (some find it harder).

To get there, take I-74 to the Farmer City exit, then Illinois 54 south through Farmer City to Parnell. As the main road curves left at a pair of big grain elevators, go straight (1200 N or De Witt County 10). Follow this through flat farmland until woods appear and there is a big dip in the road. At the bottom of the dip, turn left and park in the North Fork Canoe Access parking lot.

The trail starts across the road, before the distinctive girder bridge. It is clearly marked the whole way with white flashes and the occasional arrow and marker wand. On the outward leg, the trail jogs to the left after about a mile as it crosses a track heading down to the left. About a mile later, the route skirts to the left of a hunting cabin and a small pond. After a very long five miles or so, the path emerges onto a road. Turn left and cross the bridge. On the far side, the start of the second half of the trail is found opposite the big parking lot. This arm of the trail is easier and shorter, and (certainly in summer) offers more expansive views. It is easy to follow: just be careful when heading up the wide track towards a house to look out for the trail branching off to the left. The end of the trail is unfortunately advertised by old washing machines and the remains of a couple of 1950s cars. When you emerge on the road, turn left, cross the girder bridge and you will see the parking lot where you started.

Breakfast: Farmer City Cafe: good standard breakfasts though unfortunately the unique buffalo menu and gift shop are now gone.

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://www.vccd.org/giforestglen.html (Forest Glen Website)
http://www.middleforkriver.org/mfrpanel.html (Friends of Middle Fork River)
http://www.vccd.org/ (Vermilion County Conservation District)

You may be familiar with some of the good local venues for woodland trail-running, such as Kickapoo, Kennekuk Cove Park, and Allerton Park. There is, though, one other location within an hours drive of Champaign-Urbana which offers some interesting scenery and an extensive network of challenging trails: Forest Glen.
The name, to me at least, evokes images of scattered Scots pines spread across lonely heather-clad hillsides. Well, this is central Illinois, so it is not quite like that. It is more of a dell or a dene than a glen a wooded hollow with a stream running along the bottom and bordered by the Vermilion River but not to be despised for being just that. There are about 20 miles of trails, including an 11-mile backpack trail which roughly follows the perimeter of the park.
Getting to Forest Glen is easy if you know the way! - it is not well sign-posted.

From C-U, take I-74 east to Danville. Exit at 215A Georgetown Road (Route 1 south). Follow this for 4 miles. At the 7th stop light Westville Main Street turn left. Continue on this road for 7 miles (the road does a couple of jogs to the south before continuing east) to reach the park. If you find yourself in Indiana, you have overshot.

For a first visit, I would suggest going to the parking lot just beyond the Audubon Barn. There is a trail map on a board here to help you get oriented. Take the Old Barn/ Deer Meadow trail to the Sycamore Hollow Campus. From here, two trails leave from across the road just before it turns up into the campus. Crossing the stream is the Crab Tree trail (the Beech Tree loop is a worthwhile add-on). Going up beside the stream is the Willow Creek trail, with its primitive loop (which is not too wild). It is worth diverting off the loop to a spur of the backpack trail, until it meets a road this adds a thigh-stretching ascent, and an exciting descent in reverse. The complete combination of these trails amounts to about 6 miles but may feel a lot further. To experience the most engrossing trail experience in the area, continue on the Backpack trail after the steep climb. A short section of gravel road through the campground leads into the first of the really wild areas, with a wide variety of scenery, as the trail traverses creek beds, climbs up and along ridges and runs alongside the Vermilion River. The trail is fairly unrelenting, but there are escape points such as the fire tower road at half way around. This is also one of the few points where it is easy to miss the trail - and end up at the tower even if that was not the intention! Otherwise, the trail is well marked, but you have to keep looking for the red flashes on the trees. It is best to try the trail for the first time in summer, as it is clearest then, but it is worth visiting in other seasons for the wider views, and the better chance to see wildlife, especially deer and turkeys. When the river is really high, the creek crossings can almost turn into a swim.

After Run Breakfast: Two Brothers on Route 1 in Westville good breakfasts, fast and friendly service.

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/R3/FOX/FOX.HTM (Fox Ridge State Park website)
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cwe/rra/site19.html (Embarras River website)

Fox Ridge State Park, ~5 miles south of Charleston on Route 130, has some interesting trails, which although none longer than four miles, can be combined into a worthwhile outing. The main attraction are a series of ridges and river bluffs near the Embarras River. These used to be ascended and descended by steep staircases, but the stairs have now largely been replaced by graded paths which nevertheless offer a good hill workout. A good place to start is the Brick Pavilion (on the left hand road from where the entrance road forks).

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/r3/middle.htm (Middle Fork Park website)
http://www.vccd.org/gikennekuk.html (Kennekuk County Park website)

Kennekuk Cove County Park has 17 miles of trails, of which the trail around Lake Mingo (7.1 miles) is of most interest.
This is best started from Horseshoe Pond, a short distance off to the right from the main road through the park. Signposts point around the trail in a counter-clockwise direction. When tackled in this manner, the hardest section of the trail comes first. There are no real hills on the trail, but it is by no means flat: The route largely follows the grassy/wooded bank about fifty feet above the lake, but dips frequently and generally steeply down to lake-level to cross creeks or inlets of the lake, and then steeply climbs up again. In muddy conditions, good tread on your shoes is advisable. Most of the creek crossings are bridged (11 bridges in all, most in the first three miles). The bridges have been recently repaired, and are not as bouncy as they used to be. After 5 miles, the trail emerges from the woods onto a track which leads to the dam. The road on the far side is followed to the main road, which is crossed, and the trail goes through bushes and a prairie area. Turn left on the grassy trail to head to the historic buildings; just beyond here is Horseshoe Pond. Kennekuk Road Runners hold a race on the Mingo trail in early June. In alternate years, it runs clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Breakfast: Oakwood Truck Stop (south side of I-74).

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R3/KICKAPOO.HTM (Kickapoo Park web site)
http://www.kennekuk.com (Kennekuk Running Club)
http://www.commerce.state.il.us/communityprofiles/profiles/OAKWOOD.HTM (Oakwood, Illinois web site)

Kickapoo State Park, which straddles I-74 (from west, take exit 206; from east, exit 210), has about 15 miles of well-maintained but generally challenging trails. The longest and best are the Clear Pond and Wilderness (Out and Back) trails. These are separately 3 and 7.6 miles, and can be combined for a 10-mile outing: The trailhead for Clear Pond is across the road from the maintenance building.

Turn right on the trail; after about 0.5 mile, cross the road where posted to reach the Wilderness trail and follow this out along the track and across the meadow. More woods with a twisting trail follow, slowly descending to the Middle Fork River. Across the bridge, a flat section is a prelude to a steep climb and the roughest part of this trail, around a loop. A steep descent (beware of the old steps which are badly eroded) leads back to flat bottom land and the end of the loop. It is a steady toil to re-ascend to the meadow. Once back on the track beyond this, turn back to the Clear Pond Trail where sign-posted. Turning right on Clear Pond leads you down into Spooky Hollow (watch for the wood-carvings), then a steep ascent up some widely-spaced steps, and, after a brief respite, a steep downhill back down almost to pond level (beware of the final step down!). From here, the trail is flatter, but still in woods, following the side of the pond out almost to meet the road, then back to the starting point. Other trails worth exploring here are the Riverview (which starts at the bottom of the road crossed on the way from the Clear Pond to Wilderness Trails), South Riverview (across the west entrance road from the end of Riverview), and then other trails located off the loop road, including Mouse Mountain and White Tail. Kennekuk Road Runners organizes races on the Wilderness Trail in September (Wild Wild Wilderness) and January (Siberian Express).

Breakfast: Truck stop on south side of I-74 exit 206 (Oakwood).

Also known as Lake of the Woods County Park

Buffalo Trace Race Course Description
The full point to point loop course is 26,155' or 4.95+miles (245' short of 5 miles). 
 
A few people have asked for a description of the 5-mile course so here goes: 
 
·        1-Start at the intersection of bike path and trail heading downhill into the woods.
·        2-Stay on the "lowest cut and worn" path. 
·        3-Turn right at all intersections of the worn path (5 EXCEPTIONS NOTED) 
·        EXCEPTION 1 - .9mile at bottom of hill go straight at arrow, over broken concrete sections. 
·        EXCEPTION 2 - 2.35 mile turn left at arrow, head uphill. 
·        EXCEPTION 3 - 2.45 mile turn left at arrow, near top of hill. 
·        EXCEPTION 4 - 3.25 mile go straight at arrow, over broken concrete sections. 
·        EXCEPTION 5 - 3.27 mile just pass concrete sections, turn left at arrow, go over the drainage ditch (jump, don't use the little wooden bridge) 
 
Location of the Crowley Road entrance.
Location of the Route 47 entrance.

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://www.ccfpd.org/midfork.htm (Middle Fork River Forest Preserve website)
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/9931/bars.html (A list of "Biker Friendly Bars", which includes the Oasis in Penfield)

This preserve is located in the north-east corner of Champaign County. The entrance is off County Highway 22 about 16 miles north of I-74 (Ogden/ Royal exit). The preserve is flat, with a combination of woods along the river and Sugar Creek, and a central prairie area.
The trail along the river floods after heavy rain. A pleasant circuit of about 5 miles begins just inside the entrance to the campground, at the parking lot on the right. Follow the Oak Burl trail to the river (right at first major junction, then left at river). Run down the river, then stay on the trail as it runs up Sugar Creek (turn right at T), until a shelter is reached. Run to the left, south of the road and the pond (Willow Lake), then turn first left out to the prairie (not to the amphitheater). Take 2 rights and a left to regain the river trail, and turn right up the river until the next junction at a bench is reached. Turn right here, then right again to get back to the start.

Breakfast: The Oasis in Penfield, at the junction of route 22 and US 136. Not as bad as it looks from the outside. The food is not the greatest, but at least you can buy a beer at 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning to wash it down.

Riverbend has a main trail that is approximately 1.25 miles from the park entrance to the end of the trail. There are also shorter side trails through the woods and prairie. Also a great place to fish and kayak!
http://www.ccfpd.org/champaign-county/lake-trails/river-bend-forest-pres...

Also known as Salt Fork River Forest Preserve

by David Scott
Useful links:
http://www.ccfpd.org/saltfork.htm (Salt Fork River Forest Preserve website)

The trails at Homer Lake offer an interesting alternative running venue close to Champaign-Urbana. The land is quite flat, but there is a good mix of prairie and woodland, and pleasant views across the water. Getting there is usually easy (see below for special instructions as of June 2002).
From Urbana, follow Washington St. east all the way to the park (turns into County Highway 14; turn right just after crossing the bridge at the top of the park to reach the main entrance; 10 miles east of Rte. 130). From I-74 (Ogden exit), follow Ill. 49 three miles south to County Highway 14, turn right, and the turn for the park entrance is reached in about 1 mile.

Park maps can be picked up at several trailheads. A good place to start is the Outdoor Recreation Center (turn left inside the main entrance and follow the road to its end). From here a tour of the trails including the prairie to the west of the lake, around the outside trail and across the road to Collins Pond, around this and back to the main park, then along the river, and including going out to the river overlook in Flicker Woods, then the trails to the north of the park office and finishing by the Sand Beach Cove Trail and around the south end of the lake, amounts to about 10.5 miles. But there are obviously many shorter variations possible. The trails are generally easy to follow; the one difficult point is finding Collins Pond: once emerged onto the road south of the main park, turn left and go across the bridge and up the hill the entrance is hidden in trees on the right opposite a barn. This is one of the most scenic spots in the park and well worth the diversion.

Breakfast: Lincoln Family Restaurant in Ogden (just off I-74 next to the gas station).