About Bicycles Online > Bicycle Touring and Trails > River Bend Bike Trail

The River Bend / Silver Glen and Randall Road Bike Trails

The River Bend Trail runs west from the Fox River Trail (just before the long bridges in South Elgin) along Silver Glen Road to the large bridge that crosses over Randall Road (where it connects to the Randall Road Trail) and then north into a protected wetlands area where it forks into 2 branches that wind through the wetlands.

The River Bend Trail is also referred to as the Silver Glen Trail (on the sign on the Fox River Trail and since it runs along Silver Glen Road) so I have included "Silver Glen" in the title above and have linked to this l page with both names.

I am also including a some photos and some information on the Randall Road Trail here since The River Bend / Silver Glen Bike Trail connects to the Randall Road Trail at Randall Road.

Once you are on the Randall Road Trail (which is only 4 miles) you can then ride south and connect to the Great Western Trail. This is really a nice connection between the Fox River Trail and the Great Western Trail.

I rode these trails back in April of 2010 and also in August of 2011 so the photos are a mix between April and August. You'll notice how the trees are much more full in the August photos and just budding in the April photos.

My most recent ride (August 2011) was with a friend of mine and we parked at the Silver Glen Crossings shopping center (at Silver Glen and Randall Roads), went east to the Fox River Trail then back again where we got on the Randall Road Trail which we took south to the Great Western Trail. We took the Great Western Trail to Virgil, Illinois were we turned around. Our trip was 35 miles but you can also take the Great Western Trail all the way to Sycamore.

This is as you get on the Randall Road Trail at Silver Glen Crossing.

This is crossing the long bridge on the Randall Road Trail.

This is a farm that you pass by towards the southern end of the Randall Road Trail

The Randall Road Trail is not that long (4 miles) and not very scenic (it just runs next to Randall Road) until you cross the bridge and get to the southern end of the trail. It is however an excellent connection (along with the River Bend / Silver Glen Trail) between the Fox River Trail and the Great Western Trail.

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Here's a PDF copy of the map that includes the trails referenced in these trail pages (the River Bend / Silver Glen Trail, the Randall Road trail, the Fox River Trail and the Great Western trail).

(click to enlarge (PDF Format))

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Here's the photo tour of the River Bend Trail (aka the Silver Glen Trail) and the Randall Road Trail from April, 2010 and August 2011.

The River Bend Trail Photos 1 - Fox River Trail, John Duerr FP
The River Bend Trail Photos 2 - Blackhawk FP to Randall Rd
The River Bend Trail Photos 3 - Wetland Protection Loop
The Randall Road Trail Photos 1 - Silver Glen Rd to the Long Bridge
The Randall Road Trail Photos 2 - Southern Section

Enjoy your ride...