It was the first day of Autumn and 93° when my riding buddy and I returned to the trailhead in Winnebago in the late morning after travelling west to a private lane just short of Farwell Bridge Road and back - 19.13 miles indicated on my bike's computer. I think the trail could be maintained more to improve that side of it. The trail composition wasn't favorable for me nor was the scenery, so I'm at two stars here. I'd say it's mostly a 'put your head down and peddle' path. Along the trail there isn't much in the way of scenery. For those looking for direct sun and a lot of it.this trail is for you. The trail also has grass areas either in full, or partially. What you should know about this path is that the trail is comprised of flattened earth and some gravel (ranging sizes from crushed to large pebbles). Halfway between Winnebago and Pecatonica I got tired of the trail and its inconsistent composition and went off-road down hilly side streets to complete my ride to the north side of Pecatonica.
Riding wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either. The trail isn't bad, but I ride a hybrid bike with smaller tires than a mountain bike. Ok, headed back to the car and drove down to Winnebago where I picked up the trail heading west again. A mile or so into the trail heading west, it turned from compacted earth/small rock to full-on grass, at which point a pool of water from treeline to treeline made it impossible to continue. I parked in western Rockford and picked this trail up at it's far eastern point. There is a small lot off Main St, just south of E. Parking is also available in Sumner Park in Pecatonica off W. Parking can be found on local streets, but trail users are advised to abide by local parking laws.
Parking and Trail AccessĪccess to the Pecatonica Prairie Trail is from several country road crossings. This 13.5-mile section is targeted for improvement in the future eventually, it will connect directly to the Jane Addams Trail in downtown Freeport. It may prove to be difficult to navigate even for rough-terrain bikes. Trail users may continue on the corridor west to the edge of Freeport, but mountain bikes and hiking boots are recommended. In Stephenson County, the trail remains undeveloped with a grassy surface. It is also the longest northern component of the Grand Illinois Trail, which is one day planned to connect the Mississippi River with Lake Michigan. The trail follows the old right-of-way of the Chicago and North Western Railway, now owned by Commonwealth Edison and used for electricity transmission. The trail is paved where it passes through the hearts of the small villages of Winnebago and Pecatonica. The crushed limestone-surfaced route is predominately rural, passing through a landscape of farmland, wetlands, meadows and woods. The Pecatonica Prairie Trail, formerly known as the Pecatonica Prairie Path, is a 14.3-mile rail-trail extending from the western edge of Rockford to N.
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