The Fort Hill Trail beginning at Lakewood Forest Preserve at Fairfield Road and Route 176 now is open to Ray Lake Forest Preserve thanks to the attractive underpass at Gilmer Road seen here...
Pardon the lack of green but the grass seed hasn't germinated yet!
The short 1/2 mile stem from the Gilmer Road parking lot (located off Gilmer between 176 and Fairfield) takes you to the 2.25 mile loop through Ray lake Preserve. You can park at either Gilmer Road or the Ray Lake Preserve lot off Erhart Road. The intersection seen here is the stem trail meeting the loop trail...
Lovely meadows of wildflowers and prairie grasses and occasional brief wooded areas make this a scenic ride.
A detour bypasses the Route 176 underpass now being constructed...
If you prefer a longer ride, you can start at the Singing Hills Forest Preserve parking lot at Gilmer and Fish Lake Roads (about a mile east of the Route 120/Gilmer intersection) and bike the Millennium Trail about 7 miles to the Fairfield/176 intersection, then cross Fairfield and bike to and around Ray Lake Preserve, for a total round-trip ride of about 21 miles. If you take the paved Loop Trail through the former Four Winds Golf Course, you can add another 2 miles to your total. This map shows the entire route described here except for the Ray Lake loop (click to enlarge map.)
THANKS TO OUR LAKE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT FOR ANOTHER FINE ADDITION TO OUR TRAIL SYSTEM!
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