Petals upon Pedals
Biking to the Garden
What if you could trade your commute by car—the honking drivers, traffic jams, and roadblocks—for a bike ride, where you keep an eye out for hawks, old oaks, and wild bergamot?
That’s what I’ve been doing in my 11-mile cycling commute on the North Branch Trail to the Chicago Botanic Garden, where I work as a senior graphic designer. Life is just better when you start and end your day outside on a bike.
I stopped to take a selfie, as I rode into the Garden.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County’s North Branch trail starts at LaBagh Woods in Chicago and ends at the Chicago Botanic Garden. When the weather cooperates, I catch the trail at Linne Woods in Morton Grove, about three blocks from my house, on my All-City geared bike, or single-speed Bianchi, at 6:45 a.m. If you don’t live near a trail entrance, you can always haul your bike to one by bus or car.
This summer, I’ve been looking out for native plants like wildflowers blooming under the oaks and hickories, and the flashes of blue and red from the blue jays and cardinals winging by. As the seasons change, I also get a humbling reminder of the power and awe of the natural world, from watching a big snapping turtle near the Skokie Lagoons or monarch butterflies landing on blooming milkweed.
“Traffic” on the trail includes critters like this snapping turtle near the Skokie Lagoons.
On my 53-minute commute, I wind past stretches of prairie and woodlands, along the North Branch of the Chicago River. I share the trail with runners, dog walkers, deer, mice, rabbits, and for a while, cicadas. Because I ride early, though, sometimes it’s just me zipping through the woods, with only the sound of singing birds and crunching leaves under my wheels.
It’s an easy ride on mostly flat, paved surfaces, and a few road crossings, with picnic areas, benches, and restrooms along the well-marked trail. If you don’t go all the way to the Garden, you’ll still get a relaxing workout and nature getaway. You’ll find plenty of detours and places for a break, in spots including the Skokie Lagoons.
My favorite part of the commute is riding into work past the three islands of the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden. I’m in awe every time I see it. The grace of the Scots pines, the sun shimmering on the still water…you get a slow-motion perspective—the kind you get in a nature documentary—that you don’t get by walking. By the time I get to my desk, I’m not tired; I’m energized. It’s a great way to start the day.
If you’ve never tried the North Branch Trail, fall is a great time to give it a go. I’m already looking forward to the golden hues of the black cherry trees and bronze shades of the hickories. Hope to see you on the trail!
Map courtesy of the Forest Preserves of Cook County
Click image to enlarge
Here are some tips on riding the North Branch Trail:
The trail
You can get on the 36.7-mile North Branch Trail in Chicago, Glenview, Morton Grove, Niles, Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie, and Winnetka (see map); picnic areas and restrooms are available at Bunker Hill in Niles and Linne Woods in Morton Grove. The northern end of the North Branch Trail connects to the Green Bay Trail.
If you’re riding past Blue Star Memorial Woods, heading north, there’s a bit of an uphill climb around E. Lake Avenue.
The Forest Preserves of Cook County has a list of great tips on how to #SharetheTrail and preserve plant and wildlife habitats while cycling.
Prep
Any bike in good working condition—your own or a ride-sharing or rental bike—should be suitable for the trail. Make sure to take a water bottle, a kit to fix a flat tire, and a charged cell phone. Although much of the trail is shaded, it helps to wear sunscreen; don’t forget your helmet.
Keep an eye on the weather. After a big rain, the trail can get slick and muddy.
The Garden
The North Branch Trail winds around the perimeter of the Garden. Look for bike racks at the Regenstein Learning Campus, Rice Plant Conservation Science Center, and the Stone Family Picnic Glade.
To access the main part of the Garden, nonmembers pay an admission fee. (There’s no admission fee to stop at the picnic glade.) You can find drinking fountains, restrooms, and benches throughout the 385-acre campus; pick up a map at the Visitor Center.
All photos courtesy of Erica Torelli, except for the Japanese Garden and bike rack photo, shot by Robin Carlson
Erica Torelli is a senior graphic designer at the Chicago Botanic Garden.