Hiking Trails | Accessible Paths | Maps

Whether you are a casual walker or an experienced hiker, or use a wheelchair or stroller, you can enjoy miles of well-tended pedestrian-only paths and trails that let you wander safely among scenic vistas, deep woods, colorful gardens, prairies, and wetlands at The Morton Arboretum. Easy-to-navigate roads make it easy to enjoy the Arboretum from a car as well.

You can experience nature and wildlife up close along the accessible paved paths around Meadow Lake or through the Conifer Collection. Farther out, you can hike the extensive network of trails with a comfortable surface of wood chips. Connect to these trails by taking a longer walk from the paths near the Visitor Center, or drive and park at any of the more than 30 parking areas along the Arboretum’s roads that link to the trail network (all parking is included with admission).

The East Side and West Side of the Arboretum, which are separated by Illinois Route 53, are connected by an underpass that serves both pedestrians and cars. Each side has a trail network.

Named the best hike in Illinois by Business Insider. (2016)

Accessible Trails and Paved Paths

The Arboretum provides a network of ADA-accessible paved paths that invite the whole family to enjoy outings together.

Paths surrounding the Visitor Center (parking lot P-1) are paved and ADA accessible, including routes that lead around Meadow Lake, with its native plants and wildlife; the always-green Conifer Collection; the tranquil Ground Cover Garden; the expansive sweep of The Grand Garden; and the joyful Children’s Garden.

There are also short paved path loops at the Big Rock Visitor Station (parking lot P-13), the Prairie Visitor Station (parking lot P-25), and the Temperate Asia Collection (parking lot P-16). Joy Path, near the Thornhill Education Center (parking lot P-21), is paved but has a steep slope that may be challenging for manual wheelchairs or strollers. Learn more about accessibility at the Arboretum.

Accessible Paths on the East Side

Meadow Lake Trail (0.55 mile)

The Meadow Lake Trail (parking lot P-1) is about a half-mile long and loops around a manmade lake directly outside the Visitor Center. Depending on the season, guests can see birds, turtles, and native prairie plantings. The path connects to other ADA-accessible paths for a longer outing.
Conifer Walk (0.45 mile)

The Conifer Walk (parking lot P-1) is an easy paved path between tall trees that are green all year round. A small side loop through garden conifers has a wood-chip surface and is not accessible. The accessible Conifer Walk can be reached by paths from Arbor Court, the Meadow Lake Trail, and The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden.
The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden

The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden (parking lot P-1) showcases the beauty and diversity of plants, with paved paths, benches, intimate seating areas, and sparkling fountains. A 2-acre rectangle across Arbor Court from the Visitor Center, it is adjacent to the accessible Ground Cover Garden and connected to other ADA-accessible paths. The Sterling Morton Library, in the accessible Administration and Research Building, is at the west end of the garden.
Temperate Asia Collection (0.16 mile)

The Temperate Asia Collection (parking lot P-16) of trees and other plants native to China, Japan, and Korea includes a 0.16-mile-long ADA-accessible path to a scenic overlook.
Big Rock Visitor Station (0.25 mile)

The Interpretive Path at the Big Rock Visitor Station (parking lot P-13) is a .25-mile paved loop that offers a sample of the native woodland ecosystem.

Fragrance Garden

The Fragrance Garden (parking lot P-21) is an intimate garden with a paved path that showcases trees, shrubs, and flowers that are notable for their scent. It is adjacent to the accessible Thornhill Education Center.
Prairie Visitor Station (0.25 mile)

The Interpretive Path at the Prairie Visitor Station (parking lot P-25) is a paved and accessible path about a quarter mile long. The path loops through a sample of prairie plants and gives views of the Schulenberg Prairie.

Walking and Hiking Trails

Trail loops of different lengths ramble through the Arboretum’s living tree collections and restored wetlands, woodlands, and prairies. Most trails have a surface of wood chips, but some are gravel or are mowed through prairie. Combine loops for a longer expedition; you can reach the West Side trails from the East Side through the Illinois Route 53 underpass. Start your walk or hike on paths near the Visitor Center or from more than 30 parking areas along the Arboretum’s roads that connect to the trail network (all parking is included with admission).

Trails on the East Side

Northern Illinois Trail (0.27 mile)

The Northern Illinois Trail (parking lot P-3) is a quarter-mile loop that showcases trees native to the Chicago region. It connects to the Conifer Walk.
Crabapple Collection Trail (0.32 mile)

The Crabapple Collection’s wood-chipped trail (parking lots P-4 and P-5) is about one-third mile long and passes through a varied collection of flowering crabapple trees that bloom in late April or early May. It connects to East Side Main Trail Loop 1.
East Side Main Trail Loop 1 (1 mile)

East Side Main Trail Loop 1 is about a mile long and runs through the Midwest Collection, the Magnolia Collection, and the Temperate Asia Collection. Reachable from parking lots P-2, P-5, P-16, and P-17, it connects to East Side Main Trail Loop 2 for longer hikes.
East Side Main Trail Loop 2 (1.57 miles)

East Side Main Trail Loop 2 is about 1.6 miles long and runs through the Oak Collection, the Maple Collection (shown in fall), and the Beech Collection. Reachable from parking lots P-6, P-14, P-15, and P-16, it connects to main trail loops 1 and 2 for a longer hike.
East Side Main Trail Loop 3 (1.39 miles)

East Side Main Trail Loop 3 is about 1.4 miles long and runs through the Oak Collection, the Spruce Plot (shown), and the East Woods, connecting to the Big Rock Visitor Station. Easily accessible from parking lots P-7, P-8, P-12, P-13, and P-14, it links with main trail loops 2 and 4 for a longer hike.
East Side Main Trail Loop 4 (1.47 miles)

East Side Main Trail Loop 4, about 1.5 miles long, runs by the Oak Collection and the Spruce Plot and through the East Woods, the Arboretum’s largest restored natural area. Reachable from parking lots P-8, P-9, P-10, P-11, and P-12, it is linked to East Side Main Trail Loop 3.
Woodland Trail (0.56 mile)

The Woodland Trail is a loop of about .6 mile from the Big Rock Visitor Station (parking lot P-13) that showcases a restored oak-dominated woodland ecosystem. It connects to the Heritage Trail.
Heritage Trail (1.11 miles)

Big Rock, a 14-ton chunk of granite dropped by a glacier about 15,000 years ago, is a highlight of the Heritage Trail, which is a loop of a little more than a mile from the Big Rock Visitor Station (parking lot P-13). The Heritage Trail links to the Woodland Trail for a longer hike.

West Side Main Trail Loop 1 (1.11 mile)

West Side Main Trail Loop 1 is a little more than a mile long and passes through a restored wetland, the Europe Collection, and a group of ornamental flowering trees that are lovely in springtime. It includes part of Joy Path. Linked to parking lot P-20, it connects to West Side Main Trail Loop 2 and to the Thornhill Trail.
West Side Main Trail Loop 2 (1.57 mile)

West Side Main Trail Loop 2 is about 1.6 miles long and passes through Daffodil Glade, Witch-Hazel Dell, and beside Lake Marmo. The loop includes part of Joy Path. It can be reached from parking lots P-22, P-23, and P-26, and connects with main trail loops 1 and 3. It can also be reached from the East Side through the Illinois Route 53 underpass.
West Side Main Trail Loop 3 (0.93 mile)

West Side Main Trail Loop 3 is slightly less than a mile long. It skirts Lake Marmo and Sterling Pond. It can be reached from parking lot P-27 and P-28, and connects with the Lake Marmo Trail and main trail loops 3 and 4.
West Side Main Trail Loop 4 (0.51 mile)

West Side Main Trail Loop 4 is about half a mile long and links Sterling Pond to the Prairie Visitor Station and the Schulenberg Prairie. It can be reached from parking lots P-24 and P-25, and connects to West Side Main Trail Loop 3 and the Prairie Trail.
Lake Marmo Trail (0.42 mile)

The Lake Marmo Trail loops for about half a mile around this lake on the West Side. It can be reached from parking lots P-27 and P-28, and connects to main trail loops 3 and 4.
Prairie Trail (0.74 mile)

The Prairie Trail makes a .74 mile loop through the Schulenberg Prairie. It has a gravel surface. It is reached from the Prairie Visitor Station at parking lot P-25, and is connected by a mowed trail to parking lot P-30.
Thornhill Trail (0.82 mile)

The Thornhill Trail loops around the Thornhill Education Center and follows part of Joy Path, for a total length of just under a mile. It can be reached from parking lots P-20 and P-25, and connects to main trail loops 1 and 2.
Acre Trail (0.36 mile)

The Acre Trail is a 0.36-mile mowed trail in the Schulenberg Prairie. It is reached from the Prairie Visitor Station at parking lot P-25. It connects to a mowed trail that runs around the perimeter of the prairie and connects to parking lot P-30.

Along the Main Route

The road to the West Side passes through an underpass beneath Illinois Route 53. The West Side Main Route is a driving loop of about 2.7 miles that passes by ornamental flowering trees, stately oaks, daffodils in spring, and white-barked birches. It goes by the Schulenberg Prairie, although the prairie is best viewed on foot at the Prairie Visitor Station.

Along the Alternate Route

An alternate route that turns off just past the Thornhill Education Center makes a 2.5 mile loop that goes by Lake Marmo and Hemlock Hill.