New bike path gets big kickoff Saturday

A grand opening celebrations of sorts takes place Saturday, June 20, for a new bicycle, walking and rollerblading trail that runs through the Crabtree and Paul Douglas forest preserves in the Barrington and Hoffman Estates area.

Here's everything you need to know:

All about the kickoff

• When: 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20.

• Where: Crabtree Forest Preserve, enter off Palatine Road just west of Barrington Road.

• What: Free event includes a bike rodeo and bike safety check provided by REI, snacks provided by Whole Foods and, of course, a chance to try out the new trail with bike rides of different lengths.

• More info: Call Crabtree Nature Center at (847) 381-6592, or go to fpdcc.com.

All about the trail

• Where it goes: The 10-foot wide asphalt trail includes a 5-mile route around the perimeter of Paul Douglas Forest Preserve, which is bordered by Roselle, Algonquin, Central and Freeman roads. Another section of about 1 mile is just north and west of there and runs through Crabtree Forest Preserve south of Palatine Road, where there is a new parking lot at the trailhead.

• Shared connections: The two sections are connected by a village of Hoffman Estates trail that runs along Algonquin Road, and part of the Paul Douglas trail runs along a Palatine Park District route.

• Fun fact: The Crabtree section of the trail was built partly on a long-abandoned road called Old Stover Road. Until the new trail opened late last fall, that area had not been open to the public in many years. Because it was an old nursery, many varieties of trees can be see in the area, as well as ponds and pristine areas.

• Cost: The $1.98 million trail was funded almost entirely through a federal grant administered by IDOT.

• Sources: Cook County Forest Preserve District Naturalist Sue Dombro, Cook County Forest Preserve District Landscape Architect Steven Choe