The Paul Douglas Bike Trail
Grassy Ridge Meadow to Huntington

(Click on any image to enlarge)

Continuing west on the Paul Douglas Trail, after the steep hill and cement bridge and before the forest preserve entrance, you ride by a wetland area. The photo above is a glimpse of the wetland area from the trail.

The trail then winds through a grassy field area before coming up to the forest preserve entrance crossing. At this time this is the only entrance into the Paul Douglas Forest Preserve. One big disadvantage of this forest preserve area (and the bike trail too), at this time, is that there is nowhere to sit. Not a single picnic table or bench.

This forest preserve area is called "Grassy Ridge Meadow" I always have a hard time remembering the name so maybe this photo will help. This entrance is off of Central Road.

There is an open field area just past the forest preserve entrance (heading west) and before you get to Huntington Freeman Roads where the trail turns to the north. Once again the photo above is from just after this trail was created and the grass had not yet come in. I am updating some of the captions here after the fact and can tell you that it is completely grassy now on the sides of the trail. I will probably take some updated photos of this trail again at some point but I like the historical significance of seeing how the trail was in the very beginning.

This is the part of the trail where Interstate 90 is most visible (on the left) and you can always hear the traffic in the background. When I am out on this part of the trail (especially if it's rush hour(s)) I usually think about how nice it is to be here on the bike trail and on my bike rather than out there on the interstate.

This is where the trail turns (to the right) and goes north along Huntington / Freeman Road. This next section is pretty much my favorite part of the Paul Douglas Trail.