wellness
Wicker Park Locals Discover 5 Hidden Nature Walks Tourists Miss
Wicker Park residents turn to lesser-known trails for daily movement as summer routines shift outdoors.
How we reported this
Early on July 3, a handful of Wicker Park residents met at the unmarked gate behind the Division Street bus shelter to start a 45-minute loop that stays off the main paths.
Summer heat and longer daylight have pushed more people outside for exercise, and the neighborhood's active wellness scene now favors routes that avoid the crowds on Damen Avenue and the 606 main line.
Two overlooked routes near everyday landmarks
One path follows the fence line at Eckhart Park along Chicago Avenue, then cuts west through a narrow strip of prairie plantings maintained by the Friends of Eckhart Park group. Another begins at the southern access stair on the Bloomingdale Trail at Damen and drops into a shaded corridor that runs behind the old Wicker Park fieldhouse before rejoining Milwaukee Avenue near the North Avenue overpass.
Chicago Park District figures released in May show a 25 percent rise in visits to these side trails between January and April compared with the same period in 2025. The Wicker Park Wellness Initiative charges $12 for its Saturday morning group walks, which began again on June 6 and meet at 7:15 a.m. at the Eckhart Park entrance.
How to find and use the trails
Walkers can start at the same Division Street gate any weekday before 8 a.m. to avoid foot traffic from the nearby Blue Line stop. Sturdy shoes handle the gravel sections, and a water refill station sits inside the Eckhart Park fieldhouse on the corner of Chicago and Washtenaw. The initiative posts updated maps each month on its bulletin board at the Wicker Park library branch.