Carefully researched on foot by avid hiker Ted Villaire, and filled with detailed trail notes, Easy Hikes Close to Home: Chicago helps novice hikers discover their options with concise at-a-glance information. The guide, which is lightweight and extremely easy to carry on the trail, highlights factors such as location, access, directions, distance, and scenery. Included are both newly established trails and older trails ripe for rediscovery.

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? In Best Hikes Near Chicago author Adam Morgan details the best hikes within an hour's drive of the greater Chicago area perfect for the urban and suburbanite hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home. Each featured hike includes detailed hike specs, a brief hike description, trailhead location, directional cues, and a detailed map.

A guidebook to hikes around Chicago accessible by public transportation.

Provides more information on Nature Centers; Hiking Trails; Day & Weekend Road Trips; Kids Activities; Camping Spots; Birdwatching Hotspots; Bicycling Trails; Kayaking/Canoeing/Boating; Picnicking Spots; Fishing; Spring Wildflower Viewing; Fall Colors Viewing; Running/Exercise; Winter Activities Such as Snowshoeing, Ice Skating, Cross-Country Skiing, Sledding, and Ice Fishing; Local History; Self-Enrichment Classes and Other Opportunities; Geocaching; and other activities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Also includes articles that provide advice on camping with kids, enjoying a successful snowshoeing adventure, and much more, as well as personal essays about gardening, enjoying nature with one's children, savoring the fall colors, and protecting the environment. Other resources include contact information for forest preserve districts, state departments of natural resources, and environmental and other nature-focused organizations.

Written for the cyclists of all stripes, Best Bikes Rides Near Chicago marks the debut of a new series that offers a diverse array of scenic tours in some of America’s largest urban destinations—from easy excursions for the Sunday cyclist to challenging treks for the veteran. Here, veteran author and cyclist Ted Villaire presents 35 diverse rides in and around the Windy City. As amply demonstrated by this guide, Chicago’s heritage as a transportation hub has reaped huge rewards for local cyclists. Twenty miles of lakeshore parkland and an elaborate system of leafy boulevards connect a series of mega-parks throughout the city. Coupled with this is an ever-expanding cycling infrastructure featuring more than 100 miles of bikes lanes. The Illinois Prairie Path, which runs between the Des Plaines River and Wheaton, was one of the first linear trails in the nation converted from a railroad line—and today it is part of the most extensive collection of rail trails in the Midwest, perhaps the nation.

Comprehensive directory to the top rail-trails throughout Illinois. The top trails are given a full profile, with detailed descriptions of the trails and things to see and do along the way.

Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Rapids, Michigan includes concise descriptions and detailed maps for twenty easy-to-follow trails that trek along the dunes of Michigan, follow charming creeks, and disappear into dense pine forests.Look inside for:Casual hikes to full-day adventuresAfter-dinner strolls to full-day hikesHikes for everyone, including families Mile-by-mile directions and clear trail mapsTrail Finder for best hikes for dogs, children, lake lovers, and great views.GPS coordinates