Video Tour of Biking the Millennium Trail

Lakewood is Lake County's largest forest preserve at 2700+ acres and offers access to the Millennium Trail which loops through western Lake County. Trailhead access is available at the Lakewood Forest Preserve's "Winter Sports Area" parking off Fairfield Road just south of Route 176 in Wauconda. An additional trailhead (including horse trailer parking) is located at Singing Hills Forest Preserve, off Fish Lake Road, just north of Gilmer Road near Volo. Click the map below to enlarge it:



As the map above depicts, the Millennium Trail now runs 21 miles and will eventually cover 35 miles as it loops through and connects central, western and northern Lake County communities and Forest Preserves. The first 3.2 mile segment opened in fall 2002 to the delight of hikers, bicyclists, equestrians, and cross-country skiers, and it now runs through Lakewood and Singing Hills Preserves and up to and through Marl Flat Preserve, and then another 2 miles from Litchfield Road to Fairfield Road. Three additional paved miles alongside Hawley Road connect Mundelein High School to Lakewood.

In addition, a two-mile stretch of gravel trail called Fort Hill Trail travels from Lakewood Preserve, through the former Four Winds Golf Course, a lovely section to bike, and then on to and under Gilmer Road and into Ray Lake Preserve. This trail is also included in the video. The Fort Hill Trail parking area is located on the south side of Gilmer Road, north of Route 176.

Here's a video of the scenery and wildlife you'll experience if you bike the trail in its entirety...




From roughly 1835 to 1865, this site's forested areas were divided into 5- and 10-acre parcels used by local farmers as a source of firewood and lumber. After the Civil War, small farms dominated the property.

In 1937, Malcolm Boyle, a general contractor from Chicago, made his first of many purchases here and created Lakewood Farms, a country estate. Over the next 20 years, his farm became one of Lake County's largest, with livestock, orchards, gardens and crops. Boyle landscaped the ponds, dug Banana Lake, and built 16 major buildings.

In 1961, Howard Quinn purchased the 1,250-acre farm and converted it into a large dairy ranch, which operated until 1965. In 1968, the Lake County Forest Preserve District acquired Lakewood and has continued in stages for more than 30 years.

Lakewood is home to 17 endangered species, many of which reside in a remote 70-acre bog on the preserve's western side. Wauconda Bog, ringed by poison sumac and a natural moat, is so ecologically valuable it is designated as a National Natural Landmark and an Illinois Nature Preserve. Another area of note is Broberg Marsh, one of the best breeding spots in the county for birds.

This landscape is a mixture of oak woods, wetlands and fields. You'll also find farmlands and groves of evergreens. A lot of wildlife lives here and if you're lucky, you may even spot one of the bats from the colony living near Shelter E. These shy mammals sleep while picnickers have their fun, and then awake at dusk to eat thousands of mosquitoes and other bugs.

Lake County Forest Preserve's page on this trail is here.

More info here.