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Topic: Close to N. Illinois 3 day trips, Requesting suggestions on places to go< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
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PostIcon Posted on: Jul. 18 2012, 1:56 pm  Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Looking for suggestions on places within a 4 to 5 hour drive from my location which is N. Illinois (north suburbs of Chicago).

4 days, 3 nights
Beginners
One teenager
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PostIcon Posted on: Jul. 18 2012, 9:52 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
There is a 65 section of continuous the Ice Age Trail in Northern Wisconsin
and there is a 110 mile stretch of North Country Trail in farther up.

A brochure about the NCT Section is located here
http://docs.google.com/viewer?....i&pli=1

Also, you may want to consider the North Country Trail
in Michigan.  The Manistee River Loop is reported very
good.
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PostIcon Posted on: Jul. 19 2012, 1:25 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Manistee River Loop is good for 2 nights (can easily be done in one) and a great beginner loop.  You stretch out your driving a little farther and you can have a fabulous trip at the Porcupine Mountains in the UP of MI.
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PostIcon Posted on: Jul. 20 2012, 11:47 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Great information, thank you for sharing.
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PostIcon Posted on: Jul. 20 2012, 1:23 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Well besides the other ones listed you could do:
the Backpack Trail at Forest Glen Preserve down in Georgetown, IL down by Danville, IL
Yellow River State Forest up by Mcgregor, IA
Black River State Forest up by Black River, WI
North or South Kettle Moraine SF up in WI
North or South Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan
Sleeping Bear Dunes NP in MI
Sand Ridge SF in IL down by Pekin, IL
Jordan River Pathway in MI
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 06 2012, 11:36 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
There are 15 suggested places in Illinois in an post of  mine that include: Apple River Canyon State Park, Mississippi Palisades or south west there is Starved Rock with cabins and lodge, Buffalo Rock or Castle Rock.  Looking for lakes?  Rock Cut State Park or Shabbona State Park.   If you want Wisconsin, have tried you Devil's Lake in Baraboo or Big Green Lake or Canoe Bay?
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 07 2012, 8:38 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Unfortunately all of those 15 places have only campground camping no bp sites. Also some have hardly any mileage of trails worth doing. I suppose if you want to just hike and then go car camp then they are ok.
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 10:07 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Your information is off.  

Yes, they do have backpacking sites in some of the 15 parks that I listed; both the state parks and forests and the Shawnee National Forest.  Mississippi Palisades alone has 15 miles of backcountry hiking trails, and at least 9 miles of beginner level trails.  Then there is some 4.6+ miles of moderate to hard trail hiking.  At just this one state park, in total there is 29+ miles of trail hiking.  

You can go to the DNR Illinois and National Parks websites to verify it.  Some even have remote access only by boat, canoe or kayak backpacking sites.   :D The levels vary from basic to experienced at the parks.
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 10:09 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Then there is the Porcupines in Michigan and Brown County in Indiana.
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 15 2012, 11:28 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Nordhouse Dunes is good for night, maybe two.  I'm pretty sure it's closer to you than to me (Ann Arbor). The last time I was up there, I was searching for the Tigers game when I got back to the car and all I could find were White Sox games...

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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 16 2012, 9:40 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

(CanoeCommunicationsBlog @ Aug. 15 2012, 10:07 pm)
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Your information is off.  

Yes, they do have backpacking sites in some of the 15 parks that I listed; both the state parks and forests and the Shawnee National Forest.  Mississippi Palisades alone has 15 miles of backcountry hiking trails, and at least 9 miles of beginner level trails.  Then there is some 4.6+ miles of moderate to hard trail hiking.  At just this one state park, in total there is 29+ miles of trail hiking.  

You can go to the DNR Illinois and National Parks websites to verify it.  Some even have remote access only by boat, canoe or kayak backpacking sites.   :D The levels vary from basic to experienced at the parks.

The Mississippi Palisades only has 15 miles of trail total. Not 29 miles. There are about 5 on the South side of the park and 9 on the North side. I know as my girlfriend used to work there and we hiked the trails a lot. Yes, they do have backcountry sites now that is new to up that park. Although where they are at you would have to carry all of your water in as no natural bodies of water by them.
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 16 2012, 7:20 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Ok, so you tried the North trail has 9.2 miles and South trail that is 4.6 miles.  Have you tried the Sentinel and Sunset trails at MP state park?  For water, well there is Mississippi River, Pool 13 that has bass and bluegill.  I usually pack water purification tablets whatever state or country I go to to hike to be on the safe side.  MP encompasses Sentinenl Nature Preserves and the original Palisades state park.  People can rock climb and do vertical hiking too.

This is one of the 15 I listed, because of the up hill hiking and climbing.  I'd say almost everyone of the 15 has a lake, river, pond etc. in the park.  The list is a suggestion for hikers looking for hills and mountains.

There are 50 other state parks that offer different kinds of hiking, backpacking or boating experiences in Illinois.  Lots more to choose from in the Midwest.  Find what you like and have fun.  :)

Tiger Fan, the dunes are beautiful!
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 24 2012, 10:28 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
You should seriously consider driving up to Pictured Rocks. I have gotten there in 6 hours from downtown Chicago. Just have to time it right to avoid rush hour.

It is an amazing place with great backpacking or car camping + day hiking spots.
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PostIcon Posted on: Sep. 10 2012, 1:08 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Pictures is beautiful and then there are the Apostles in Northern Wisconsin.
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PostIcon Posted on: Sep. 10 2012, 1:37 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic.  Ignore posts   QUOTE
Trap Hills & Sylvania Wilderness UP Michigan; that's where I'm likely headed next week (new ground for me, as my usual backpacking destination up there is the Porkies; I've also dayhiked Pictured Rocks quite a bit).

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