I&M Canal Trail

The I&M Canal Trail travels 7.57 miles from the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site north through Lockport to Romeoville.

The crushed limestone/paved linear trail may be accessed from the following locations managed by the Forest Preserve District:

• Joliet Iron Works Historic Site (Columbia Street, Joliet)
• Second Street Access, Lockport (View on a Google Map)
• Schneider's Passage (View on a Google Map)
• Isle a la Cache (Romeo Road, Romeoville, via a 0.57-mile trail connection)

Trail experience and activities

The I&M Canal Trail consists of four segments in Will County.

A 0.58 mile segment travels north from Columbia Street at the Joliet Iron Works Historic Site in Joliet. From there, the trail continues 2.77 miles north to Division Street in Lockport. This flat, crushed limestone segment of the trail runs along the I&M Canal through woodland. It is ideal for the following activities:

•     Biking
•     Hiking/running
•     Cross-country skiing
•     Snowshoeing

From Division Street in Lockport, a 1.05 mile crushed limestone segment of the I&M Canal Trail owned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Lockport Township Park District travels north to Second Street in Lockport.

At Second Street in Lockport, a 3.17 segment of the I&M Canal Trail runs north to Schneider’s Passage/Isle a la Cache in Romeoville. This flat, crushed limestone segment of the trail travels along the I&M Canal through woodland. It is ideal for the following activities:

• Biking
• Hiking/running
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowshoeing

Trail connections

Centennial Trail: This trail extends 3.26 miles from Isle a la Cache preserve’s Schneider’s Passage northeast through Romeoville to the Cook County line. It overlaps with the Veterans Memorial Trail at 135th Street in Romeoville and splits off at I-355 heading east into Cook County. Veterans Memorial Trail continues 1.47 miles north through Lemont to Internationale Parkway in Woodridge.

I&M Canal State Trail: Street routes in Joliet connect the south end of the I&M Canal Trail to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ crushed limestone I&M Canal State Trail. The I&M Canal State Trail may also be accessed from the District's Lower Rock Run Preserve – I&M Canal Access in Joliet, McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove in Channahon, McKinley Woods – Frederick's Grove in Channahon and Lake Chaminwood – Joseph Dollinger Family Access in Channahon.

I&M Canal Trail: In Lockport, a section of the trail owned by Lockport Township Park District provides access to the park district's Dellwood Park and Dellwood West.

Old Plank Road Trail: Street routes in Joliet connect the south end of the I&M Canal Trail to the 22-mile, linear paved Old Plank Road Trail.

Wauponsee Glacial Trail: Street routes in Joliet connect the south end of the I&M Canal Trail to the 22.29-mile, linear crushed limestone/paved Wauponsee Glacial Trail.

Trail history

The I&M Canal Trail was leased between 1994 and 2015.