The Fairview Park Trail, in western Decatur, traverses the large and beautiful Fairview Park and connects (via roadway) to the park's various attractions: an aquatic center, lake, gardens, pavilions, tennis courts, ball fields, skate park and dog park. The trail is mostly tree-covered and flat, except for two short, steep grades. In the west end of the park, the trail is built in part on a former interurban railway corridor of the Illinois Traction System. The trail also crosses and briefly passes sections of scenic Stevens Creek.
On the western end of the trail, you can connect directly to the 4-mile Stevens Creek Bikeway or the 2-mile Conservation District Trail.
Access Fairview Park from Fairview Avenue, either via Eldorado Street or one block south, just west of Millikin University. There's parking on the drive shortly after entering, and several parking lots throughout the park. A convenient area with various lots is in the west end of the park, near the trail's connections to the Stevens Creek Bikeway and the Conservation District Trail.
We believe that the system of bike trails of Decatur, especially including Fairview Park, is one of Decatur's greatest assets! We are on it often, throughout the year and it is simply beautiful. The only drawback is a few dog owners who refuse to clean up after their pets.
Fairview Park is a really beautiful old city park--and this trail runs right through it. It's the most used of Decatur's beautiful trails because of its abundant parking, its access to other park facilities, and its place as the connecting hub of all the other trails. My wife and I ride the Decatur trails two or three times a week. We always park near the western end of this trail, and from there go north, south, east or southeast--for a total of more miles (with hills) than we can ride on any single day. Tandemonium is a great new tandem bike rental service along the trail.
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