The Chicago Botanic Gardens is an ideal place to hike if you enjoy viewing a wide variety of flowers and plants. The area offers abundant trails that explore both areas of beautifully manicured landscaped gardens as well as outlying areas of natural prairie and woodland vegetation. There are a variety of trails surfaces that include paved, crushed gravel, and woodchip that can be accessed by hikers and bikers. Much of the trail system is also wheelchair accessible. There are many side trails and connecting trails within the gardens allowing visitors to pick and choose the areas to visit and the amount of time spent exploring the botanic gardens. There is a fee to park at the gardens but it is free to hike or bike in. Pets are not allowed within the boundaries of the botanic gardens.