I’m a lifelong Cook County resident, and even though I’m not too far from DuPage County, and my mom has lived there for 25 years, and I’ve had cousins who grew up there, I haven’t really explored it. That changed in 2024, where I created loops around the county for myself. And I knew Glen Ellyn was a pretty town, but last year I really got to riding around in it — and I finally discovered Lake Ellyn.
My quest last fall to document great fall colors in suburban Chicago led me to tree-lined Glen Ellyn, and it did not disappoint. It was especially pretty around Lake Ellyn. Take a look for yourself.
I access Lake Ellyn via Hawthorn Boulevard from President Street, on which I often traverse south through the county. Hawthorn is a bike route through Wheaton (which is pretty enough), and heading east, soon I enter Glen Ellyn. Lake Ellyn Park comes at Lenox Road. Turn left for a clockwise circuit around the lake. In this video, I head north all the way to Oak Street, which supplied a great view of colorful trees in the background, but you can turn east at Essex Road to truly stay on the park’s border. You’ll soon see that you wind up turning to Oak Street anyway, then must make a near U-turn onto Lake Road.
President Street is better for more serious road cyclists, but Glen Ellyn neighborhood streets are OK for casual cyclists, and maybe even families.
After passing Glenbard West High School, I often ride on the newly paved and tree-lined Crescent Boulevard, riding east up to the bridge over the tollway, then turn onto Finley Road, cross the railroad tracks and head back west on Hill Avenue, which goes through typical Glen Ellyn residential neighborhoods. These roads are OK for casual cyclists as well as more serious ones. You can also ride the crushed-limestone Illinois Prairie Path south of the railroad tracks and avoid all traffic except for street crossings.
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