Hiking Trails & Parks in Illinois
9,473 mapped hiking and walking trails, plus 176 parks, recreation areas, and campgrounds across Illinois. Free trail maps for every listing — browse by county or city, or jump straight to the full list.
About Hiking in Illinois
Illinois has 9,473 mapped hiking trails and 176 federally managed parks and recreation areas spread across 138 counties. Trail data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors; parks and campgrounds from Recreation.gov.
Trying to narrow down? Browse all trails, all parks, all 138 counties, or pick a county below to see only its options.
Where to Go in Illinois
A spatially-sampled view of 608 trail and park locations across Illinois’s counties.
Illinois Counties
Top 24 counties shown — 138 total indexed.
Trails by Difficulty in Illinois
Parks & Campgrounds in Illinois
Longest Trails in Illinois
Curated Guides for Illinois
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there hiking trails in Illinois?
Yes — we have 9,473 mapped hiking and walking trails in Illinois, sourced from OpenStreetMap. Browse the full list below, with distance, elevation, and difficulty for each.
What is the most difficult hiking trail in Illinois?
r2r guess 27 near Goreville is rated expert — the toughest classification among Illinois's mapped trails.
What is the best hiking trail in Illinois for families?
ADT - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 2 near Goreville is one of the best family picks in Illinois — easy difficulty and 0.1 miles round trip, short enough for kids and first-timers. See the full family hiking guide below for more options.
Is there a trail map for Illinois?
Each of the 9,473 trails in Illinois has its own page with an interactive map, GPS coordinates, and a link to view it on OpenStreetMap — no app or account needed.
What parks and recreation areas are in Illinois?
Illinois has 176 parks, recreation areas, and federal facilities in our index (42 classified as recreation areas). Each listing includes activities, photos where available, and directions.
Can I go camping in Illinois?
Yes — 32 of Illinois's parks have mapped campsites, from first-come sites to Recreation.gov reservations. The largest is FORREST W. BO WOOD with 141 sites. See the full campgrounds guide below for the ranked list.
Hiking guides & rankings for Illinois
In-depth articles drawing on the trail and park data above.
Photo: Sergei AkulichThe 10 Longest Hiking Trails in Illinois, Ranked
Illinois's longest mapped hiking trails, ranked by distance with notes on what makes each route worth the commitment.
Photo: Holly MandarichIllinois's 10 Most Punishing Trails by Elevation Gain
Steep is hard. These are the ten Illinois trails with the most total elevation gain — quad-burners earned by hard climbing.
Photo: Joshua EarleThe Best Beginner-Friendly Hikes in Illinois
Ten gentle, well-marked Illinois trails perfect for first-time hikers, families, or recovery days.
Photo: Sergei AkulichThe 10 Most Challenging Hikes in Illinois
Illinois's ten hardest hikes — expert difficulty, big mileage, or serious exposure. Reserved for experienced hikers.
Photo: Joshua EarleThe Best National Parks & Recreation Areas in Illinois
Federal parks and recreation areas in Illinois ranked by what they actually offer hikers and campers, not just popularity.
Photo: Sergei AkulichBest Waterfall Hikes in Illinois: 10 Trails to See Falls Up Close
Illinois's best hikes to named waterfalls — from short family-friendly viewpoints to all-day cascade chasing.