Salt Creek Trail: Route, Length, Access Points and Closures

Salt Creek is a west-side creek ride from Busse Forest to Brookfield Zoo. Check closures and creek levels before you go. It is one of the Routes & Trails that rewards some planning.

How long is it

The Elmhurst Park District calls the Salt Creek Greenway Trail a 25-mile regional pedestrian and bicycle trail, from Busse Forest in Elk Grove Village to Brookfield Zoo². The Forest Preserves of Cook County list 16.4 miles of paved and unpaved trail on their own land¹.

The Cook County section offers views of a glacial valley, gravelly moraine and the creek’s pool and riffle environment¹.

Where to join

Cook County lists its access points from west to east. The ones on the main route include Bemis Woods, Brezina Woods, Brookfield Woods and the Chicago Portage National Historic Site¹. In Elmhurst, join at Eldridge Park².

Ride	Length	Start
Intermediate	6 to 8 miles, paved1	Brezina Woods1
Advanced	14+ miles, paved1	Brookfield Woods, on 31st Street1

From Brezina Woods, the Red Paved Trail runs about 3 miles east to Brookfield Zoo, or 4 miles west to the DuPage County line¹. From Brookfield Woods, it runs just over 7 miles west to the DuPage line, through Salt Creek Nature Preserve and Bemis Woods¹. The zoo sits across 31st Street from Brookfield Woods¹. At the DuPage line, you can turn west or north to reach the Grand Illinois Trail¹.

Surface and signage

Portions are paved, others use limestone screening, and a few short segments are on-road³. The trail is well marked throughout, though some junctions confuse³. A brief gap in the trail falls between Ogden Avenue and Parkview Avenue³. At Bemis Woods the unpaved trails can be muddy after rain¹. Skip them on a road bike.

Closures and flooding

The I-294 closure is the one to know. TrailLink posts intermittent closures under the Tri-State Tollway bridge, between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street, due to Illinois Tollway construction³. The notice runs from May 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026³. Check the Cook County trail page for the current status before a long ride.

The creek floods the underpasses in Elmhurst. The Elmhurst Park District ties it to the USGS gauge: water covers the path at Roosevelt Road when the gauge reads above 6.9 feet, at North Avenue above 8 feet, and at St. Charles Road above 8.5 feet². Look at the gauge first after heavy rain.

Rules on the Cook County trails

All bicycle and e-bike riders must travel at speeds under 15 miles per hour—or slower in busy areas or where a speed limit is posted.⁴

Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed where bicycles are allowed⁴. Bicycle riders must yield to other trail users⁴. Give an audible warning, such as a bell or “on your left,” and slow down before passing⁴. Stay to the right, single file when possible⁴. Helmets are recommended for everyone, and especially for riders 14 and under⁴. Forest preserves are open daily from sunrise to sunset¹.

How the trail was built

The Elmhurst Park District’s board approved an intergovernmental agreement to build the trail in April 1997². Grants funded 80% of the $9,000,000 total project cost². The path meets national bicycle trail standards set by AASHTO².

Connections

The Salt Creek Greenway links the Illinois Prairie Path, at 59 miles, and the Centennial Trail, at 20 miles². At its north end the trail joins the Busse Woods Trail³. In Elmhurst it meets the Great Western Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path³. See the Busse Woods Trail guide, the Illinois Prairie Path guide and the full list of best bike rides near Chicago.