wellness
Logan Square Locals Discover Hidden Nature Walks Tourists Miss
Logan Square's lesser-known trails draw steady foot traffic from neighborhood residents seeking quiet fitness routes away from the main boulevards.
How we reported this
Residents in Logan Square have increased use of two unmarked trail segments along the North Branch Chicago River and the eastern edge of the 606 trail extension this summer. These paths sit within a half-mile of the Blue Line stop at California Avenue yet see almost no out-of-town visitors on weekday mornings.
The timing aligns with a local push for outdoor movement programs that began in spring 2025. The Logan Square Park District expanded its free wellness calendar after recording a 22 percent rise in resident requests for nature-based activities compared with the prior year. Heat advisories issued by the city health department in late June further steered people toward shaded corridors rather than open athletic fields.
Riverbank loops near Kedzie
One favored route starts at the pedestrian bridge behind the former A. Finkl & Sons steel site on Kedzie Avenue and runs south along a narrow gravel path for 1.2 miles. The route passes restored prairie plantings maintained by the Friends of the Chicago River, an organization that schedules monthly volunteer workdays on the third Saturday. Morning users report spotting herons and occasional deer before 8 a.m., when commuter traffic on nearby streets remains light.
A second segment branches west from the 606 at the point where the elevated trail meets the ground near the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Spaulding Avenue. This flat dirt loop circles a small retention pond maintained by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and returns to the main trail in under 30 minutes. Local runners from the Logan Square Running Club use the pond loop for interval sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Practical entry points and costs
Both trails remain open daily with no entry fee. The only paid option is a monthly guided bird count organized by the Chicago Audubon Society on the first Sunday of each month, priced at $12 for non-members. A 2024 resident survey conducted by the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce found that 37 percent of respondents visited one of these river or 606-adjacent paths at least once a week. Parking is available in the small lot at 2600 N. Kedzie Boulevard, though most locals arrive on foot or by bicycle.
Those new to the routes can download the free Logan Square Park District trail map updated in May 2026 or join the next volunteer workday to learn the unmarked turnoffs. Early evening visits after 6 p.m. avoid the warmest hours while still providing enough light through August.