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As you continue south past the Museum of Science and Industry there are some nice open areas along the lake and you pass through Jackson Park. This photo shows the sandy beaches on the left and Lake Shore Drive on the right.
I mentioned on the previous page (photo page #8) that we turned around at the Museum of Science and Industry when I rode in the popular "Bike The Drive" event in May but the Lakefront Trail actually continues on for quite a ways past that point.
I wish that I had more photos of the nicer parks and beaches along this part of the bike path. The photo above is just one section of the trail that runs between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan.
There really are some nice parts of the trail in this area. You get a mixture of wooded, shady, and grassy areas mixed in with the sunny, sandy beaches. It was getting kind of late in the day, based on the amount of time that I had left to get all the way back to Montrose Harbor, where I parked, so I was not taking as many photos at this point but I wished that I had some photos of the wide open grassy fields next to the beaches on the southern part of the trail.
Mile 17.5 (as you go south) of the 18 mile Lakeshore Trail so you are just about at the southern end of the trail at this point.
The bike path passes the South Shore Golf Course on the left and curves away from the lake front here as it runs along South Shore Drive (on the right).
Well, this is it! The southern end of the Chicago Lakefront Trail (mile 18 as you go south (or mile 0 heading north)).
The South Shore Cultural Center at the end of the Lakefront Trail.
This is the reverse side of the 18 mile sign. If you are heading north then this is just the beginning of the trail! Since this is the southern trail head and my turnaround point, I switched from photos to camcorder video at this point as I headed back north, See the main Chicago Lakefront Trail page here for a link to the video or use the link in Bike Trail Videos link in the right hand column of this page.
Here's a photo tour of the Chicago Lakefront Bike Path, from the north end of the trail, at Hollywood Avenue (just north of Lincoln Park) south to the end of the trail and back.
The Chicago Lakefront Trail Photo Tour - North to South, August, 2009
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 1 - North of Lincoln Park to Montrose
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 2 - Lincoln Park and Belmont Harbor
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 3 - Chicago Skyline and North Ave Beach
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 4 - North Ave Beach to Navy Pier
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 5 - Navy Pier and over the Chicago River
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 6 - Shedd Aquarium to Willis Tower
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 7 - Chicago Skyline from Shedd Aquarium
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 8 - Soldier Field to Museum
Chicago Lakefront Path Photos 9 - Jackson Park and South < you are here