Download a Trail Map
The first phase of the Kickapoo Rail Trail is now open! Work on the trail began in the spring of 2016 and the 6.7 mile Urbana to St. Joseph trail segment is open to the public for hiking, biking, and other non-motorized uses.
The multi-purpose recreational trail will extend 24.5 miles to Kickapoo State Park in Vermilion County. The trail is designed for pedestrians and bicyclists to traverse some of the most diverse ecosystems in this part of the state, including woodland, prairie, and wetland.
Click here to see how you can access the trail.
The natural resources of this area provided prehistoric peoples, Native Americans and early non-native immigrants with the materials they needed to survive. This rich environment allowed local populations to settle, grow, and develop new technologies, leading to the 1869 construction of the railway that will serve as the base of the Kickapoo Rail Trail. This line, originally the Indianapolis, Bloomington, and Western Railway, will allow travelers of today to ride and walk in the footsteps of Native Americans, early settlers, and even the young attorney Abraham Lincoln, who rode a nearby route on horseback as part of the 8th Judicial Circuit.
To become part of the exciting project, you can make a tax-deductible donation by check, payable to Kickapoo Rail Trail, or online at the link below.
Donate Online Today
The Kickapoo Rail Trail, a 24.5-mile retired railroad corridor that spans from the east side of Urbana to the Vermilion County Fairgrounds and Kickapoo State Park, was purchased by the Champaign County Forest Preserve District and the Vermilion County Conservation District in late 2013 and 2014. A multi-use recreational trail is planned for the rail corridor. The District and the Forest Preserve Friends Foundation are now working with our project partners, the Vermilion County Conservation District and the Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation, to raise funding for the construction of the trail.
KRT at Sleepy Creek - Friday, November 16, 2018 at Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Fairmount, Illinois at 7:00 P.M.
Jim Wagner of Wagner Signs and Graphics, located just off the Kickapoo Rail Trail in St. Joseph, has created a line of KRT merchandise and apparel. Check it out here http://www.jimwagnersigns.net/kickapoo-rail-trail/ and place your order. Be fashion forward while supporting the trail!
More information about the trail will be provided as plans develop. Individuals interested in learning more about Kickapoo Rail Trail can get more information by contacting the CCFPD at hq@ccfpd.org or (217) 586-3360. Follow the trail on Facebook and Twitter (@KickapooRT) too.