Searching for the ideal get-away spot amidst urban sprawl? Look no further. Black Road Access, part of the more than 1,200-acre Rock Run Greenway, offers plenty of outdoor family fun.

Visitors can enjoy in-line skating, biking, hiking, or cross-country skiing on the 3-mile (5K) paved loop trail that connects to Paul V. Nichols Access at Essington Road and Ingalls Avenue. This trail, complete with observation decks and signs that explain the natural features and wildlife of the area, loops around a pond and restored wetland. Two 0.25-mile natural surface trails spur from the main loop and take visitors through prairie. A picnic area awaits those wanting to relax after a workout on the trail, and is available for reservation for larger groups.

Those looking for a longer run or ride can take advantage of the 16-mile Rock Run Trail/Joliet Junction Trail loop, which travels northeast through Paul V. Nichols Access and Theodore Marsh, south to the I&M Canal Trail, west to the I&M Canal Access, and north past Joliet Junior College and Hammel Woods, back to Black Road Access. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk to provide access to the trail.