Regional Trail Development - West Branch DuPage River Trail
The West Branch DuPage River Trail is a 23-mile trail which connects the communities of Hanover Park, Bloomingdale, Bartlett, Wayne, Carol Stream, West Chicago, Winfield, Warrenville, and Naperville along the West Branch of the DuPage River. This trail includes approximately eighteen miles of existing facilities such as Timber Ridge Trail and segments along the Great Western Trail through Winfield Mounds and Blackwell Forest Preserves, and through the City of Naperville. The trail connects to the Elgin and Aurora branches and the Geneva Spur of the Illinois Prairie Path, as well as the Great Western Trail.
The northern end connects to the North Central DuPage Regional Trail (NCDRT), and the southern end of the trail leads users into Will County. From the northern trail head, users can travel into northwest Cook County via the NCDRT. From the south, users may access destinations like Knoch Knolls Park and Whalon Lake.
The West Branch DuPage River Trail is an intergovernmental effort led by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The Forest Preserve has partnered with municipalities, park districts, and the DuPage County Division of Transportation to assist in the construction of various segments.
Status
The West Branch DuPage River Trail is complete from Blackwell Forest preserve south to Knoch Knolls Park in Will County. Here is the status of the three missing segments of this regional trail:
The Winfield Mounds Trail segment is under construction as of 2017. It will develop the trail segment between Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve and West DuPage Woods Forest This segment will include 2.1 miles of off-street trail and 0.6 miles of on-street bikeway.
The trail segment between the West Branch Woods and Blackwell Forest Preserve will be the last remaining part of the West Branch DuPage River Trail to be developed. The greatest challenge of this project will consist of bridging the trail over Roosevelt Road in West Chicago. In 2017, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County obtained funding and the project will proceed. Construction is anticipated to conclude by the end of 2020.
Trail Map
To download maps of the West Branch DuPage River Trail, click on the following links: north WBDRGT and south WBDRGT.
Further Information
For further information on this project, please contact Planning Department of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County at (630) 933-7200.