Chicago Transit Hikes: A Guide to Getting Out in Nature Without a Car

Taking the train to nature in Chicagoland

Beyond the steel and asphalt await natural spaces that are easy to access and balm for the soul. Lindsay Welbers’s guide tells readers how to use Chicagoland’s extensive public rail system to reach forests, prairies, wetlands, dunes, and Lake Michigan. Designed to take up minimal space in a backpack, Chicago Transit Hikes provides train-to-trailhead information for thirty nature treks with features that include:

• Chapters with hikes organized by each rail line on the Metra, the South Shore train, and the CTA;
• Information on everything from accessibility to dog-friendliness to flora and fauna;
• Detailed descriptions of every destination;
• Practical tips on packing lists and itineraries.

Up-to-date and user-friendly, Chicago Transit Hikes connects Chicagoans and visitors alike with excursions for every season and level of difficulty.

Lindsay Welbers is a journalist and sustainable transportation advocate. She runs the blog Third Coast Hikes at https://thirdcoasthikes.com.