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Tour the trail

Now that improvements to the 18-mile Lakefront Trail are complete, it’s time to hop on your bike and experience all it has to offer.

Until recently, bicycling Chicago’s 18-mile Lakefront Trail could be a full-contact sport.

With tens of thousands of cyclists, joggers, skateboarders and strolling tourists all jostling for space on a single narrow ribbon of pavement, collisions and near-misses were common.

During the warm summer months, when traffic on the trail can swell to up to 100,000 users a day, traversing the path on two wheels felt more like “The Hunger Games” than recreation.

“In recent years, lots of Chicagoans were beginning to avoid the trail because of so much congestion and accidents — it wasn’t a good situation,” says Kyle Whitehead, Director of Public Affairs at the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy organization which has helped advise the city on urban biking issues.

This year is different. Thanks to the completion of Chicago Park District’s two-year improvement plan and a section of the $60 million Navy Pier flyover opened at the end of 2018, this summer should be prime time for biking the Lakefront Trail again — even if it’s far from perfect.

“There are still some issues to be working out, but we think it’s a big upgrade,” said Whitehead. “Cyclists should expect a safer, more comfortable ride this summer.”

New to biking the Lakefront Trail or anxious to try out version 2.0? We mapped out 30 spots along the 18-mile ride to know beforehand — from brand new features on the trail to sandy beaches, scenic outlooks, Instagram-worthy shots and more:

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  1. Osterman Beach — The northernmost point of the Lakefront Trail has a beach house, food (Nacho Mama), bathrooms, and yes — even wi-fi.
  2. Foster Beach — Amenities at this underrated North Side beach include food concessions, bike rentals, and restrooms.
  3. Trapeze School — Bike by at an opportune time and you can catch acrobats-in-training flying above the lakefront lawn.
  4. Montrose Dog Beach — The dog days of summer are every day at this spot that allows canines to play on a fenced off part of Montrose Beach.
  5. Cricket Hill Detour — The most drastic change of the trail separation project is this half-mile bypass in which bicyclists ride around Cricket Hill to avoid cross car traffic.
  6. Bird Sanctuary — Duck into “The Magic Hedge” on this quiet piece of Montrose Beach to see or hear rare Illinois songbirds that make their temporary home here.
  7. Montrose Danger Zone — The confusing alterations to the path in the Montrose Beach area plus the plentiful foot, bike and car traffic means you should exercise caution.
  8. Kwanusila — This recently restored 1986 replica of a historic 40-foot tall totem pole first donated to the city in 1929 is one of the most important public sculptures in Chicago.
  9. Belmont Harbor — Home to hundreds of boats, Belmont Harbor is a great place to stop and take in an excellent view of the skyline.
  10. Chevron — It’s hard to miss this big blue 50-foot sculpture by artist John Henry in a field just north of the boat entrance to Diversey Harbor.
  11. Lincoln Park Zoo — It’s a two-minute bike ride away from the trail to see lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh my!
  12. North Avenue Beach — Chicago’s most popular beach has everything: food, restrooms, bike repair, sports and incredible people watching.
  13. Chess Pavilion — Even if you don’t have the means to play the game of kings in this open-air cement pavilion in Lincoln Park, marvel at this architectural work of art.
  14. North-Oak Danger Zone — The insanely busy corridor between North Avenue and Oak Street Beach is improved, but you should still slow down to avoid accidents.
  15. Navy Pier — A pitstop with indoor restrooms, food, water fountains and, of course, a 200-foot tall Ferris Wheel.
  16. Pier Flyover — This just-opened elevated path bypassing the Navy Pier area makes for safer biking.
  17. Danger Zone — With the second half of the Flyover still under construction until later in 2019, crossing the Lake Shore Drive Bridge is still the messiest part of the trail.
  18. Buckingham Fountain — Get a selfie at the iconic Buckingham Fountain (and take a drink at actual drinking fountains) at the near halfway point of the 18-mile trip.
  19. The Museum Campus — The curve around the Shedd Aquarium is the most breathtaking part of the trip. Just don’t stop in the middle of the path to snap a selfie!
  20. Northerly Island — Visit “Hamilton: The Exhibition” this summer, catch a concert at Huntington Bank pavilion or simply take a side bike trip at the park’s nature preserve.
  21. Burnham Wildlife Corridor — With wild prairie grasses, trees and migratory birds along this 100-acre stretch of nature on the trail running from McCormick Place south to East 47th Street — this is the most Zen-like part of the ride.
  22. 31st St. Beach — This underrated South Side spot features concessions and restrooms and stunning views of the skyline.
  23. La Ronda Parakata — This circular installation is set to end in September, so you have one more summer to sit on one of the tree stumps and get a great view of the nearby harbor.
  24. 41st St. Bridge — If you’re biking, it’s a thrill to traverse this curvy new 1,470-foot blue bridge over Lake Shore Drive.
  25. Looking Up Statue — Tom Friedman’s 33.3-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture of a humanoid looking to the sky makes for an amusing Instagram-worthy photo.
  26. Promontory Point — This man-made area of the Lakefront offers some of the greatest skyline views in Chicago and offers a pleasant diversion for cyclists.
  27. 57th Street Beach — Take a food or restroom break, visit the sandy beach or exit here to visit the Museum of Science and Industry.
  28. 63rd Street Beach — Amenities: concessions, restrooms, an elegant beach house, an interactive water fountain and more.
  29. Jackson Park — Visit this exquisite park before the Obama Center permanently alters it, including the Garden of the Phoenix, a remnant of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.
  30. South Shore Cultural Center — If you’re not too tired from your long ride, duck into this historic building at the trail’s end.
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Karen Cabada, 9 and her Uncle Vincente Soto, walk on the walkway at the 63rd Street Beach.

Brian Jackson/ Sun-Times

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