Morton Arboretum Day Ride | 2024

Pace: 10-12 mph. Beginner level.

Trail Conditions: Paved trail (asphalt) and crushed limestone.

We have two options for arriving at the Arboretum:

Group 1) Bike to the Arboretum

Group 2) Metra to Lisle with short bike ride to the Arboretum

The groups will join together at the Arboretum for tree education and identification activities with stewards from the Chicago Region Trees Initiative. We depart the Arboretum as one group, and then bike to our end point together.

Arrival Group 1: Bike to Arboretum

Start point: Longfellow Park in Oak Park (610 S Ridgeland Ave, Oak Park, IL 60304)

Start time: 7:00 am

Miles from Start to End Point: ~42 miles

Transportation to Start Point:

CTA L: Forest Park Blue line to Austin stop or Oak Park stop; Harlem/Lake Green line to Ridgeland stop

Street parking is also available at your own discretion

Ride Description: We will ride west via the Illinois Prairie Path and stop in Glen Ellyn for a grab and go breakfast at Blackberry Market or Einstein Bagels. We’ll depart our breakfast stop by 10:15 and ride roughly 30 minutes to the Arboretum.

Arrival Group 2: Metra BNSF to Lisle

Start point: Union Station (225 S Canal St. - Accessible entrance at Clinton & Jackson)

Start time: 7:00 am - Train leaves at 7:33 am

* Participants responsible for purchasing Metra ticket. Tickets are available at the station, on the train, or via the Ventra mobile app

Transportation to Start Point:

CTA L: Blue Line: Clinton stop; Orange, Pink, Brown and Purple Line Express Lines: Quincy stop

Ride Description: Arrive promptly at Union Station at 7:00am and meet OOFD guide outside the station. We will gather for brief introductions and guidance on using the Metra bike car before boarding the Metra BNSF line for the train departing at 7:33 am. We arrive in Lisle at 8:30am and bike to breakfast at JR’s Place, a diner serving traditional breakfast options. After a leisurely breakfast, we ride ~3 miles north to the Arboretum and meet Group 2 at the Visitor’s Center.

Departure Groups 1 & 2: Getting Back -- Together!

Ride Description: Leave the Arboretum ~1:00pm and ride together as a group to Longfellow Park (Group 1 arrival destination). To do so, we’ll route back to Glen Ellyn and pick up the Illinois Prairie Path to return. We expect to arrive at Longfellow Park around 3:30pm where the ride officially ends.

Join us for a day trip to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. If you haven’t visited the Arboretum, it is a true gem in our local region. The Arboretum is home to a variety of native trees, public gardens, and walking paths. We are thrilled to be partnering with Arboretum stewards and the Chicago Region Trees Initiative to offer tree education and identification activities such as a tour of the research center, Gateway to Tree Science, and a tree scavenger hunt.

We offer two options for arriving at the Arboretum. For those looking to log some miles, we will bike from our starting point in Oak Park, IL. We travel west via the Illinois Prairie Path and stop along the way to grab breakfast in Glen Ellyn before heading to our destination.

If a more leisurely Friday morning sounds like your pace, we are excited to offer a multi-modal option that utilizes Metra’s bike car to get us to our destination. We meet outside of Union Station (accessible entrance at Clinton & Jackson) and will move as a group to the BNSF line bike car. You are responsible for purchasing your own Metra ticket at the station, on the train, or via the Ventra mobile app. Upon arrival in Lisle, we’ll bike as a group to breakfast at JR’s Place, a diner serving traditional breakfast options. Once everyone has enjoyed their Friday morning breakfast, we ride as a group to the Arboretum. We anticipate arriving ahead of Group 1 so plan to enjoy some time biking/walking through the Arboretum before our tree education activities.

At 11:00 am we will gather at the Visitor’s Center. Throughout our time amongst the various grounds, pathways, trails, and canopies, we’ll learn about the many types of trees that make the Arboretum a destination for visitors across the region. After a chance to use the restrooms and fill up water bottles, we will depart the Arboretum around 1:00pm.

We will ride as a group to Glen Ellyn where we pick up the IL Prairie Path and head east back to Oak Park. We anticipate arriving at our end point, Longfellow Park, at roughly 3:30pm. This is where the ride officially ends - please have a plan in place for getting to your personal endpoint destination.

WHAT TO BRING

Required Items:

Your bike!

Helmet

Photo I.D. and Emergency Contact Info

Cash/Debit/Credit Card for your food and your drinks

Two spare inner tubes and tools to replace a flat (guides will be able to assist)

At least 2 full water bottles

Lock for your bike

Sunscreen

Welcoming, adventurous, can-do attitude!

WHAT IS INCLUDED

Entry into the Arboretum - please consider making a donation since they are allowing our group in for free!

Supportive guides leading you from the start to the end point

Education about our local history and nature

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

Transportation to the start point

Food and drinks

ABOUT THE GUIDES

Our guides are part of a community of volunteers that believe in adventure and helping others find adventure right out our front door. They exude a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive spirit which are foundational values at Out Our Front Door. They have love and appreciation for their home and like sharing knowledge about that home with others, thus helping the riders to develop a stronger sense of gratitude for our local history and nature.

The guides will be set with the route and they have set up breakpoints along the way to ensure you can go the distance. So if this is your first time out on a longer ride, you’ll be surprised by how far you can actually go. They will stick with you and if for any reason you must end the ride early, they will help direct you to the nearest train and way to return to the city.

Guides will have the tools necessary for most simple maintenance issues that might arise. *If you have your own tools or supplies, especially any that are very unique to your bike, please bring them along.* Though guides will have extra tubes and patches, you most definitely should bring at least 2 extra tubes for your bike. If a roadside repair is not possible, then a trek to the nearest Metra Station or best mode of public transportation may be the best option (we’ve even had folks call a friend or an Uber).

TIPS FOR THE RIDE

Other Stuff To Bring

Comfortable shoes! We'll be on foot for part of our activities at the Arboretum, so if your cycling shoes aren’t your walking shoes, consider bringing a pair to change into. Other suggestions include sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm (with SPF!) and cool information you would like to share!

Keep it light!

We encourage you to utilize a back rack/front basket/milk crate or panniers to keep weight off of your body, which will ultimately enhance your comfort. However, don’t fret if you don’t have any of those--a light backpack will do just fine! As you pack for the ride, make sure the things most important for your comfort are easily accessible.

Clothing

Dress for the season and in layers. If a little rain is in the forecast, bring a rain jacket. Don’t be afraid of the rain!!! Some of the best views are when a storm is on the horizon. If it gets intense, there are shelters along the way to wait it out.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What kind of bike do I need?

All bikes are welcome!

Do you rent bicycles out to the public?

We do not.

What if I get tired?

We champion perseverance. Our guides will support and encourage you to push on because the reward of completion is great. In the event of injury, major bike failure or just not being able to push on, the guides will help direct you to the easiest way to return home (usually via Metra or other forms of public transportation).

What happens if it rains? Is the event canceled?

No, we ride rain or shine. Some of the best views are after a rainstorm. Your safety is our top priority, so if there is severe weather we will break and seek appropriate shelter along the route, then continue on to our destination.

How fast do you ride?

General rule of thumb is a steady 10-12 miles per hour.

What happens if I'm too slow or too fast?

On most rides, we do our best to ride together as a group. Separation in the group can occur, but we do not leave anybody behind. A guide will always be riding at the back and at the front (and usually at least one floating in the middle). This is not a race, so everyone will do their best to keep the pace of the lead guide and should not plan to ride faster than the lead guide.

Cancellation Policy

Please contact the ride organizer if you are no longer able to attend, so we can offer your spot to another cyclist on the waitlist.

Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination Statement

We at Out Our Front Door believe in the radical inclusion of all people on our bike camping trips. Regardless of your race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, or even the types of bikes you ride, we want you rollin’ with us. We want everyone to feel welcome. As a participant of an Out Our Front Door event, you are inherently agreeing to Ride and Let Ride.

If you exhibit any micro-aggressions observed by leaders, such as being judgmental of another’s bike, touring experience/skill, mansplaining, or generally being unfriendly you will be politely yet firmly corrected by OOFD leaders. If you commit any serious offense such as repeated unwanted flirtation, sexual harassment, overt racism, etc., you will be asked to leave the tour without a refund and will no longer be welcomed on future rides.

If you feel you are a victim of any of the above or have observed it, please raise the issue with one of our ride leaders, and they will handle the issue accordingly and with appropriate discretion.

We have this policy in place because we want everyone to feel safe and welcome. Out Our Front Door is an open community of bike campers, and we will forever work to bring all sorts of folks into the fold. Thank you for being a positive contributor to that community.

ABOUT US

We're the Out Our Front Door Organization. A bike camping community for Chicagoland.

See Our Full Schedule Of Events Here

As a community organization, Out Our Front Door’s mission is to immerse, educate, and preserve the history, culture, trails, and native habitats of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area through exploratory adventures. Established in 2015 with the North Loop Ride, we now have many different resources, events, and programs ​we offer the public.

Drop us a friendly visit at: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | https://www.oofd.org/

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois 53, Lisle, United States