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The Skokie Valley Trail in Cook County parallels active train tracks in the Village of Skokie, providing easy access to both the Oakton–Skokie and Dempster–Skokie stations on the CTA’s Yellow Line. The trail itself occupies an abandoned Union Pacific rail corridor. Connections to sidewalks in residential neighborhoods just to the west of the paved trail contribute to its utility, as does its proximity to the Illinois Science and Technology Park.
The trail has been extended south through Lincolnwood to connect to the existing Valley Line Trail in the Sauganash neighborhood of Chicago, ending at Bryn Mawr Avenue (5600 N), for a total of 4.5 miles. Longer-term plans call for the eventual extension of the trail north to meet the nearly 10-mile stretch of the Skokie Valley Trail in Lake County.
Parking for the Skokie Valley Trail can be found in the large lots for the Oakton–Skokie and Dempster–Skokie CTA stations off Oakton Street and Dempster Street, respectively.
Have rode this trail 6 times and love it great surface to ride on trail is very well used and maintained very well . lol
Now that it links up to the Valley Line Trail, it runs from Dempster (8800N) to Bryn Mawr (5600N). If they'd pave the adjacent right of way from Bryn Mawr to near Foster, it would hook up directly with the North Branch. On the north, there are plans to run through Glenview and Northbrook to link up with the Skokie Valley Trail, which goes all the way up to IL 176 (Libertyville). Maybe in my lifetime!
Just the right distance now that it connects with the the trail in
Lincolnwood. It connects to Emily Oaks Nature Center (more trails), and has several water fountains. Very nice urban trail.
The Lincolnwood connection to the Sauganash Trail mentioned in another review is now in place. The trail is now around 5 miles long, but has busy road crossings at Devon, Touhy, Lincoln and Howard. Also the photos on this page are of the Lake County section of the SV Trail. It will still be awhile before the two are connected.
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