The Green Bay Trail in Illinois
UPDATED 2022
The Green Bay Trail is one of the first things I like to tell my clients about because it 
appeals to everyone. It runs alongside the Chicago Metro North Shore Line and whether you run, walk, bike, hike, rollerblade or just meander, you will enjoy the ride.
The land was originally the old right-of-way for the North Shore Railroad (some of its pillars can still be seen along the trail.) The villages along it - Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, and Highland Park bought the land and leased it to the Green Bay Trail Committee which developed it.
It runs almost 10 miles in a straight line beginning at the Wilmette Fire Station on Lake Avenue just east of Green Bay Road in Wilmette. Heading north the official paved trail ends in Highland Park but sign markers will take you farther north through residential areas. 
Almost the entire trail is paved and if it's not, it is dirt or crushed stone. There are several short breaks in the trail where users must navigate "off-trail."
- In Kenilworth, you must walk along Abbotsford Road on the east side of Joseph Sears School and pick it up again at Ivy Court.
- In Glencoe, at Park Avenue go along Old Green Bay road about 3/4 of a mile until the trail picks up again.
Other than those two spots, it's a breeze. The trail is handicap accessible (there is an elevator at the main Winnetka station.) Along the way, you will pass parks, downtowns, train stations, gardens, and native wildflower areas. When you pass through Highland Park, you'll ride right past the main gates of Ravinia.
The trail has been undergoing a metamorphosis as it runs through Glencoe. A local community group The Friends of the Green Bay Trail has been tirelessly removing buckthorn and other invasives and replacing them with native prairie plants. They are always looking for volunteers and I've spent many beautiful Saturday mornings helping out this great group of people. (Photo at left shows a section cleared of buckthorn.)
The Green Bay Trail is a tree-shaded wonder in the summer months and parts of it are even plowed in the 
winter for cross-country skiing. There is easy access to it at all the train stations and many other spots along the way. In Winnetka, Loving Care Grooming and Boarding provides free plastic bags to help you pick up after pooch.
The only things to remember are to stay right and be respectful and careful!
While you're here, please see homes for sale along the Green Bay Trail in:
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