This September, welcome the fall season with a cycling challenge and enjoy the colorful tapestry of changing leaves at The Morton Arboretum.
By taking on the Arboretum Cycling Challenge, participants commit to completing a 100-mile, 200-mile, or 300-mile goal throughout the month of September. Participants can complete the challenge on the paved roads at the Arboretum, around their neighborhood, on a stationary bike, or anywhere else they enjoy cycling.
Registration Details
Cost: $50
Member cost: $40
Registration for the Arboretum Cycling Challenge opens on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Participants must sign up online through the RunSignup platform.
Registration in the Arboretum Cycling Challenge includes commemorative athletic socks, complimentary admission to the Arboretum for participants, and a special opportunity for participants to purchase new memberships at a discounted rate. Members may use their membership benefits to enter the Arboretum at any time without purchasing general admission.
Arboretum Membership Special
Challenge participants who are not yet members of The Morton Arboretum can save 20% on any new, one-year membership. This special offer may be applied to Individual-, Dual-, and Household-level memberships when purchased during registration for the Arboretum Cycling Challenge.
Your registration and membership supports the Arboretum’s vision of a greener, healthier, more beautiful world where people and trees thrive together.
Logging Your Miles
Arboretum Cycling Challenge participants record their miles online via RunSignup. There, participants’ progress will display on a leaderboard that is updated in real time throughout the challenge.
Participants can complete their miles anywhere they like, but are encouraged to do so on-site at The Morton Arboretum. All paved roads at the Arboretum are accessible to cyclists. The Main Route totals 9 miles and runs through the East Side and the West Side of the Arboretum. Cycling is not permitted on wood-chipped hiking trails.
In addition to logging miles, which can be done on the RunSignup virtual results page, participants may also find it helpful to use Strava, a fitness app that can log mileage on an iPhone or Android using smartphone data, a GPS-supported smartwatch, or a head unit. Please note that logging miles on the Strava app will not synchronize with RunSignup. Participants using Strava must also log their miles on the official Arboretum Cycling Challenge RunSignup platform.
The Strava leaderboard will not be used for the final September Cycling Challenge results, and participants are not required to download the Strava app.
Join a thriving community of other cyclists participating in the challenge by signing up for the Arboretum Cycling Challenge club on Strava. Sharing your progress with other participants is a great way to stay motivated and meet your mileage goal!
Arboretum Membership Special
Challenge participants who are not yet members of The Morton Arboretum can save 20% on any new, one-year membership. The discount may be applied to Individual-, Dual-, and Household-level memberships purchased during registration for the Arboretum Cycling Challenge.
This membership offer is only available to those who do not have a membership or who have a lapsed membership. This offer is not available to current members or those wishing to renew their membership.
Arboretum members may use their membership benefits to enter the Arboretum at any time without purchasing general admission.
Race Apparel
By registering for the Arboretum Cycling Challenge, you will receive commemorative custom-knit athletic crew socks. Crafted with ribbing and arch support, these socks ensure durability and comfort with every stride.
80% cotton, 18% nylon, 2% spandex. Sizing is adult unisex. Please note that children’s sizing is not available.
Frequently Asked Questions
