Neighborhood News: Chicago’s Lakefront Trails perfect for fall colors
As we make our way to October, the Midwest’s fall colors have already started blazing. A leaf here, a maple tree there.
The seasons, they are a- changing!
Just ahead, according to Rove.me, the peak fall colors will develop in the first two weeks of October. For a short, blissful few weeks, the red, green, purple and yellow hues of Autumn will converge with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s, to create a season of beauty on the tree-filled Lakefront Trail and the 606 Trail, also known as the Bloomingdale Trail.
You’re welcome!
The Lakefront Trail Daley
According to Architecture.org, Mayor Richard J. Daleychampioned for the development of a bikeway system in the city. He designated the Lakefront Trail as a bicycle path in 1963, creating a beloved piece of the city’s lakefront that many have fought to keep “forever open, clear and free of buildings.” The 18.5-mile trail runs from Lane Beach on the North Side to the South Shore Nature SanctuaryandCultural Centeron the South Side for walking, jogging, skateboarding, and cycling, located along the western shore of Lake Michigan. The trail passes through and connects Chicago’s four major lakefront parks along with various beaches and recreational amenities. It also serves as a route for bicycle, skateboard and personal transporter commuters.
Along the path are the reasons why people come to Chicago…iconic structures like the Museum of Science and Industry, McCormick Place, Soldier Field, Chicago’s Museum Campus, Monroe Harbor, Navy Pier, Belmont Harbor, and the Waveland Clock Tower, as Wikipedia notes. The Lakefront Trail connects most of the Chicago beaches and three skate parks (31st Street, Grant Park, Wilson Avenue). Several dog parks are accessible from the trail.
On the 6(06)…
As its website says, the 606 (or Bloomingdale Trail, the official name,) gets its name from the common numbers in Chicago’s zip codes. The scenic path has multiple access points across four of Chicago’s hippest neighborhoods — Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, and Humboldt Park — making it a favorite spot for local walkers, runners, bikers, and families. The trail Is located at the 1800 block north in Chicago, between Ashland (1600W) and Ridgeway (3750W), with 12 access points along its nearly three miles. The trail weaves through four neighborhoods and features native plants, nature trails, and public art.
History
According to Wikipedia sources, the Bloomingdale Line was constructed in 1873 by the Chicago & Pacific Railroad Company as part of the 36-mile Elgin subdivision from Halsted Street in Chicago to Elgin, Illinois. It was soon absorbed by the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway (also known as the Milwaukee Road). Chicago first investigated converting the Bloomingdale Line into a greenway in 1997, but the railway was still in active use. However, once the railroads were gone, the Friends of Bloomingdale Trailnote that “Nature reclaimed the former rail line above. Trees sprang up between the tracks, flowers bloomed, and animals moved back into former habitats.”
The city and community reintroduced the greenway concept as part of the Logan Square Open Space Plan in 2002–2004. This plan proposed a linear park or greenway with several public access ramps. At the east end, a trailhead would be created at the Chicago River. In 2015, the work was completed and the trail dedicated.
Both the Lakefront Path and Bloomingdale Trail are open daily from 6 am to 11 pm, the same hours as other Chicago Park District parks. For more information, click here.
Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
