Palos West Side Tour

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake

This is one of the more standard routes used by runners and mountain bikers, on the most well-traveled trails. It's mostly singletrack with a couple of sections of horse trail and a short trip across 95th Street to access the Purple Trail.

Water is available in the Bullfrog Lake campground office.

These trails are used heavily by mountain bikers. Be aware that bikes can come from either direction.

From the Bullfrog Lake trailhead, head north onto the Blue Trail. Almost immediately take the unmarked side trail east toward Wolf Road. Follow this trail a short distance to the intersection of 95th Street and Wolf Road. Cross 95th Street, being very careful to watch for oncoming cars, and head east about one block to a small trail entrance heading north. This trail has a sign indicating that it is for foot travel only. Take this trail northeast to the Purple Trail where you'll take the left fork to head northeast around the Purple Trail loop. At the next fork, go left to stay on the Purple Trail, heading south. Follow this back to 95th Street.

Cross 95th Street and head to the right to pick up the Yellow Trail, heading southwest. Follow the Yellow Trail for approximately two miles to the intersection of the Yellow Horse Trail. About a mile in, the Yellow Trail crosses a parking lot, just veer to the right to pick up the trail again. The Yellow Trail drops you off in the Wolf Road Woods area.

From here, head south on the Orange Loop and follow the trail all the way around to the intersection with the Green Trail. Take the left on the Green Trail and follow this to the Blue Trail, where you'll also go left. Follow the Blue Trail all of the way back to the Bullfrog Lake parking lot trailhead where you started.

Deer, chipmunks, squirrels, dragon flies, and the occasional coyote have all been known to frequent the area.