Spin Your Wheels on Mokena's Best Bike Routes

As pleasant autumn breezes replace unbearable summer heat, outdoor activity can flourish again without the need to pack a bag full of sweat-proof sunscreen, towels, mosquito repellent, allergy medications and at least five water bottles.

Now, with a light jacket wrapped around your waist and a single water bottle in hand, you can lead your bicycle down your driveway and onto the nearest bike path with little to no preparation.

Biking has dramatically increased in popularity within the last 15 years. The number of bike trips in America increased from 1.7 billion in 1990 to 4 billion in 2009, more than doubling in number, according to a May 2010 study from the Federal Highway Administration. The National Sporting Goods Association found that 2 million people were regular bicyclists in Illinois in 2009.

Bernard O'Reilly, a member of Folks on Spokes Bicycle Club and a regular biker and resident of Mokena, goes out at least a couple times a week to ride. He said he rides because it's fun, it's relaxing and it's good exercise. In one trip, O'Reilly usually travels 35 to 55 miles.

"If you're riding with people, you don't even notice how far you go," O'Reilly said. "You really get to enjoy talking to the people you're with."

Fortunately for Mokena residents, bikers looking to enjoy a scenic ride away from the bustle of town or a vehicle-free way of commuting can find many options. From a 10-minute ride right down the street from your house, to a half-day or day trip along a historic nature path, a nearby option is available.

 The most renowned bike path in the Mokena area is by far the Old Plank Road Trail. According to the Forest Preserve District of Will County's website, this 21.5-mile trail dates back to the 1850s, when it was originally developed to facilitate the movement of horses and wagons. With the construction of a rail line next to the trail, the road was abandoned until the 1970s. Once it was rediscovered, it took 20 years to create the paved recreational trail it now is, thanks to numerous organizations and volunteers, according to a brochure from the district.

While this trail begins in Park Forest and travels through Matteson, Frankfort, New Lenox and ends in Joliet, it's accessible in Mokena at Hickory Creek Junction right off Route 30. Here a pathway leads to a bridge that crosses Route 30 and leads to Old Plank Road Trail a mile from the bridge. A map and more information about the trail are available from the Forest Preserve District of Will County and from the Mokena Park District.

For a scenic pathway that is shorter and easier to get to, Hickory Creek Junction also provides Hickory Creek Bikeway-West Branch. This 2.8-mile trail begins at Hickory Creek Junction in Mokena and ends at Hickory Creek Barrens in New Lenox. Along this paved trail, you can view an array of prairies, wetlands and woodlands.

At the Hickory Creek entrance on LaPorte Road, bikers can enjoy the Hickory Creek Bikeway-East Branch, a 1.8-mile trail that leads through the Hickory Creek Preserve, past the Frankfort pool, along Route 30, ending in Frankfort. Along the way, bikers can view forests of oak and hickory, grasslands and rare ferns, ponds and a bridge that crosses Hickory Creek. Bikers can head in the opposite direction along LaPorte Road, too, extending from LaGrange Road all the way past Wolf Road.

For a short and simple trip, Hickory Creek Junction offers a one-mile loop trail on natural terrain that travels around the preserve, and the LaPorte Road Access provides a half-mile natural surface trail that loops around this area of the preserve.

For trails closer to home, half-mile biking/walking paths are available in Main Park on LaPorte Road and in Green Meadows Park on Williams Way. Shorter trails can be found in Marley Park on Jacob Drive, Hecht Park on Birch Avenue, Buske Park on Hillside Lane and Grasmere Park on Lindsay Lane. More information on these community parks can be found at the Mokena Park District website. 

Gina Kenny, the project assistant with the League of Illinois Bicyclists, lives near Mokena and said she rides for recreation and commuting purposes. For Kenny, riding relieves stress, helps her stay in shape and saves money on gas. But mostly, Kenny said, she is setting an example for her 4-year-old son.

"I am extremely conscious that I am setting an example for him," Kenny said. "I want him to think bicycling to places is normal and that he does not automatically think he has to hop in a car every time he wants to go somewhere."

As far as commuting by bike, both Kenny and O'Reilly agree Mokena is an easy place to get around. Because many of the streets in Mokena are residential, getting from place to place on low-congested streets is simple, Kenny said.

O'Reilly, who  prefers the Hickory Creek trails because of their hills, said he rides his bike to Mokena's French Market each week, along with many other cyclists.

Whether you're a biking veteran, you've just learned to ride or you think you've forgotten how, now is the time to wrap that jacket around your waist, pump some air into those bike tires and enjoy the fresh fall breezes before it's too late.

You don't need a special event to get out there. But if you're looking for one, here it is.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County is hosting Cruise the Creek on Saturday, Oct. 2, noon to 4 p.m., at Hickory Creek Barrens in New Lenox, at the corner of Route 30 and Schoolhouse Road. Bike riders can tour a two-loop trail, 6 and 12 miles in length. Additional activities include a BMX stunt show, pony rides, pumpkin painting, music, food vendors and children's activities. A free t-shirt is offered to the first 500 people to check in. Visit ReconnectWithNature.org for more information, or call 815-727-8700