Video: The New North Branch Trail Extension Is The Perfect Bike Ride

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 22, 2016 6:03PM

The first leg of the long-awaited North Branch Trail Extension opened on Wednesday. The stretch runs from Forest Glen to West Devon Avenue and North Caldwell Avenue, in Edgebrook, on the Northeast Side. It’s one of the biggest bike/pedestrian projects underway in the city, and the new connection extends the trail all the way north to the Chicago Botanic Garden.

John Greenfield, editor of Streetsblog Chicago, was there Wednesday at the ceremonial ribbon-cutting. More importantly, he took the first legal trek through the extension and was able to take video of the ride. It’s completely lovely, as the full trail—beyond the extension—crosses through 18 miles of Forest Preserve.

"The trail extension makes it easier for Chicago residents to access the North Branch Trail, and the trip on the NBT up to the Chicago Botanic Gardens is one of the best bicycle day trips in the region," Greenfield told Chicagoist in an email. "The scenery is great and you almost always encounter some super-tame deer. I recommend taking a detour a few blocks east on Touhy to check out the Leaning Tower of Niles."

Watch the video above—which shows Greenfield heading north from the ribbon-cutting to the Devon/Caldwell junction—read Streetsblog's full post and get excited.

Below are Greenfield's photographs of the southern half of the extension, which he says is "even nicer."

Southern half of North Branch Trail Extension / Photo: John Greenfield

Southern half of North Branch Trail Extension / Photo: John Greenfield

Southern half of North Branch Trail Extension / Photo: John Greenfield