5 MOST UNDERRATED HIKING TRAILS NEAR NAPERVILLE

While we’re all aware the Midwest is best known for it’s flat, wide open areas, there are many wonderful hiking trails within a one-hour drive of Bill Jacobs MINI in Naperville. There are State Parks, like Starved Rock State Park and Matthiessen State Park, that many residents are familiar with. But there are also hidden gems in Illinois where you can take your MINI Cooper, your family, and your four-legged friends to get out and enjoy the scenery. You don’t have to go far to get away from the hustle and bustle of Naperville to enjoy these amazing trails. Read on for what we at Bill Jacobs MINI consider the…

5 MOST UNDERRATED HIKING TRAILS NEAR BILL JACOBS NAPERVILLE, IL

1. The first trail we must acknowledge is right in our Bill Jacobs MINI backyard: The Morton Arboretum. Located in Lisle, IL this hidden gem is approximately 20 minutes away from our MINI Cooper dealership. The arboretum boasts 16 miles worth of mulched hiking trails take explorers through lush forests, wetlands, and peaceful prairies. A paved path around Meadow Lake offers a leisurely half-mile jaunt, or traverse deeper into the woods on the Heritage Trail, which culminates at a 14-ton granite boulder aptly dubbed Big Rock.
2. The Ned Brown Forest Preserve, affectionately known as Bussey Woods, is only a 30 minute drive from Bill Jacobs MINI. Hike the nearly 13 miles of paved trails through forest and marsh areas plus an elk pasture and one of the largest fishing, boating, and kayaking waters in Cook County. Shorter trail segments fan out from the main paved loop circling the Busse Reservoir, where there’s no shortage of wildlife sightings and places to hike and unwind in ancient upland forests with beautiful water views.
3. For those who enjoy history with their hikes, there is the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site which is located in Joliet, IL…approximately 40 minutes from our Naperville dealership. This hike will take you on a crushed limestone path that winds through a self-guided interpretive tour of structures from the once second largest steel mill in the United States. Visitors can opt to lengthen their stay by hopping onto the nearby Illinois and Michigan Canal Trail, which stretches 7.57 miles from the iron works north through Lockport to Romeoville, where it connects to the Centennial Trail.
4. Another wonderfully hidden gem within 40 minutes of Bill Jacobs MINI is the Des Plains River Trail and Greenway. The gravel trail spans nearly the entire length of Lake County for 31.4 miles as it winds through 12 forest preserves. It is open for hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, and is dog friendly (including an off-leash dog park).
5. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie may be about an hour from Naperville, but this nationally protected tallgrass prairie area is worth the trip! Midewin became the country’s first designated National Tallgrass Prairie in 1996. In 2015, bison were reintroduced to the prairie, the grassland offers 22 miles of multi-use trails shared by hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders, plus another 12 for hikers where visitors will enjoy the herd grazing in their restored natural habitat alongside a menagerie of wildflowers, insects, and birds and maybe even scope out retired army bunkers used to store ammunition during WWII.

If you’re looking for a MINI Cooper model to take you to any of these hiking trails, look no further than Bill Jacobs MINI in Naperville. Bill Jacobs MINI offers the Chicagoland area an excellent selection of new and pre-owned MINI cars to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door, Hardtop 2 Door, Countryman, or Clubman our team of Motoring Advisors at our MINI dealership are here to help you get behind the wheel of the perfect MINI Cooper for your family, pets, and adventures.
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