| Illinois Prairie Path | |
|---|---|
 2-mile marker on the Aurora Branch of the Illinois Prairie Path inWheaton, Illinois | |
| Length | 61 mi (98 km) |
| Location | Kane County,DuPage County,Cook County |
| Established | 1963; 62 years ago (1963) |
| Designation |
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| Trailheads |
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| Website | ipp |
| Trail map | |
 Main Stem Aurora Branch Elgin Branch Batavia Spur Geneva Spur | |
TheIllinois Prairie Path (often called thePrairie Path and abbreviatedIPP) is a network of 61 miles (98 km) ofbicycle trails, mostly inDuPage County, Illinois. Portions of the trail extend west toKane County and east toCook County. Most of the trail is categorized asrail-to-trail, meaning that the bicycle path is built atop a converted formerrailroad right of way. In the case of the Prairie Path, the vast majority of its routing runs on the former right-of-way of theChicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad.
May Theilgaard Watts is credited for a letter written in 1963 that initiated the first project in what became a widespread rail-to-trails program of land use across the United States.[1] In August 2008, the Illinois Prairie Path was inducted into the Rails-to-Trails hall of fame.[2]
The Illinois Prairie Path consists of three distinct branches originating from a point just west of downtownWheaton (41°51′51.0″N88°6′58.4″W / 41.864167°N 88.116222°W /41.864167; -88.116222). The northwest branch is called the Elgin Branch and runs approximately 16 miles (26 km) toElgin, where it intersects with theFox River Trail42°0′49.1″N88°16′29.2″W / 42.013639°N 88.274778°W /42.013639; -88.274778). This branch is the longest of the three. The southwest branch is called the Aurora Branch and runs approximately 14 miles (23 km) to RiverEdge Park inAurora, where it, too, intersects with the Fox River Trail (41°46′14.5″N88°18′28.1″W / 41.770694°N 88.307806°W /41.770694; -88.307806). The eastern branch is known as the Main Stem and runs 15 miles (24 km) east toForest Park at theForest Park CTA station, where it crosses the historicElmhurst Great Western Prairie41°52′27.4″N87°49′0.3″W / 41.874278°N 87.816750°W /41.874278; -87.816750).
All three branches are marked with concrete mile markers stating the name of the branch, and how many miles away from Wheaton the rider is. The frequency and character of these markers varies from county to county.
After the path's conception, spurs were added to the system extending west from the Elgin Branch toGeneva (known as the Geneva Spur) and west from the Aurora Branch toBatavia (known as the Batavia Spur). These spur branches are 6 and 5 miles (10 and 9 km) long respectively, and are also marked with mile markers.
The Prairie Path is part of a larger regional network of trails in theChicago metropolitan area. The Elgin Branch and Main Stem are part of the 575-mile (925 km) longGrand Illinois Trail in north-central Illinois. On a more local level, the Prairie Path intersects with Kane County's Fox River Trail four times, and theGreat Western Trail—a parallel connector between the Main Stem atLombard and the Elgin Branch. Future connections are planned to theWest Branch DuPage River Trail, theEast Branch DuPage River Trail, and theSalt Creek Trail.[3]
The DuPage County Department of Transportation maintains internal designations for the Illinois Prairie Path as a part of thecounty's highway system. County Highway 47 refers to the Main Stem and the Aurora Branch. County Highway 48 refers to the Elgin Branch. County Highway 49 refers to the Batavia Spur, while County Highway 57 refers to the Geneva Spur.[4]
The concept of a regional trail in DuPage County was introduced in 1963 byMay Theilgaard Watts, a leading figure at theMorton Arboretum. In a letter to the editor of theChicago Tribune, she called for the Chicago, Aurora and Elgin Electric Railroad right-of-way to be preserved for future generations instead of being given over to development. After eight years of contentious meetings between Watts and her representatives, and those of the towns of Wheaton andGlen Ellyn (who sought the right-of-way as valuable parking space), U.S. Secretary of the InteriorRogers C.B. Morton designated the Illinois Prairie Path as the second of 27 new National Trails. In the designation, Mrs. Watts was honored "for her outstanding efforts toward establishment of the Illinois Prairie Path." Although the IPP was the first Rail Trail proposed in the US, theElroy-Sparta State Trail in Wisconsin was completed and opened first.
On August 23, 2006, a new pedestrian bridge was lifted into place over theDes Plaines River between Maywood and Forest Park. The bridge and new approaches permit a direct crossing over the Des Plaines River, allowing the main stem of the Prairie Path to terminate further east, at theForest Park station. The bridge and approaches opened in late October 2006, after lighting and emergencycall boxes were installed.[5]
In 2014,North Central College became the home to the Prairie Path's official archives.[6]
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