Centennial Trail

     Last Friday, I borrowed my dad's bike and loaded it into the back of my Equinox (this was not an easy task!) and headed over to the Centennial Trail off of 135th St. in Romeoville, Illinois. I only rode three miles out and back, which is a small fraction of this trail and connecting trails. Even if this place isn't the most scenic spot in the world, it is rich in local history and connects with other trails in a cool way.

The Bike Ride

View from the bench
     I parked in the small lot on 135th Street, From here, you can go a couple different ways. I chose to head toward the small trail bridge into the wooded area. The paths are nicely paved in this whole stretch. Many cyclists come through here, as well as pedestrians. There are mile markers that say how many miles to the next main location. About a mile in, there is a bench that it nice to relax at and could be a stopping point for a short walk. There is a split at about three miles in, which is where I stopped. You can either continue on to the right on the Centennial Trail or travel to the left on a little bridge lined up with I-355 to head into DuPage County's preserves.

Connecting Trails

     By far, the sweetest thing about this trail is the fact that it is part of a giant trail system. The Centennial Trail connects to the I & M Canal trail just on the other side of 135th Street. This trail is part of the Grand Illinois Trail, which is over 500 miles long. It is a giant loop around northern Illinois. You can also connect north to other trails as well. Not part of the Grand Illinois Trail, you can easily take this trail to Waterfall Glen forest Preserve, which I visited only a week before.
     This trail can be really cool to take as a long-distance cyclist-- or long-distance anything, really. If you're a local, come check out the Centennial Trail as a way to get away from all the warehouses and subdivisions that make up the suburbs.

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