Starting from the small historic town of Galena, this biking route leads through beautiful countryside that offers excellent scenery and lots of steep rolling hills. The ride follows mostly quiet roads through diverse terrain including woodlands, along streams, past farms, and through rural areas with only a few busier sections that require a little more caution. The names of the roads change frequently and get a little confusing so pay close attention in order to stay on track.

Starting from Channahon State Park, this ride follows the I&M Canal Trail for many miles along diverse terrain including woodlands, prairies, marshlands, farmlands, and more providing nice scenery all along the way. The surface of the I&M Canal Trail is well-maintained crushed gravel and the roadway sections of the ride are quiet rural roads making the ride very relaxing and peaceful. This is very little elevation change along the path requiring no climbing. The ride can easily be extended by exploring more of the I&M Canal trail.

This rails-to-trails route is one of the best in Illinois for road biking as it travels near a large scenic river, against big bluffs, and offers excellent wildlife and plantlife along the route. Starting from Pere Marquette State Park, the trail follows the Illinois River to its confluence with the Mississippi River and onward through multiple small towns and wildlife refuge areas that are home to abundant wildlife, especially eagles during the winter. Sections of the ride merge with the scenic byway that is known for river scenery on one side and large rock bluffs on the other. The trail ends at Piasa Park where riders can learn about the legend of the Piasa Bird for which the park is named. The ride can be done as a longer out-and-back or a one-way trip by shuttling vehicles between the two trailheads. The route is all asphalt path and paved roadway with some hills, especially in the first 3 miles, that add some challenge to the ride.

This section of the Fox River Bike Trail is a popular route that explores both sides of the Fox River as it travels through multiple forest preserves, parks, and residential neighborhoods. The ride provides lots of good resting spots at historical sites, nature centers, parks, and other points of interest located along the bike trail. The trail is mostly all paved surface, well-marked, and flat making it a great option for riders of all skill levels. The trail continues on for many more miles to the north for riders looking to add some more mileage.

Starting from the east side of Chautauqua Lake, this ride heads east into the Sand Ridge State Forest over rolling hills through woodlands, prairies, and pine forests before following the scenic shoreline of Spring Lake. The scenery is very remote and natural all along the way. The ride does have some hills but nothing too steep or physically challenging. Also be aware of a few sections of gravel road.

Starting just south of Lake Lou Yeager in central Illinois, this ride travels through remote and rural countryside comprised of diverse terrain between the cities of Hillsboro and Litchfield. Much of the ride follows the route of the popular Hillsboro-Roubaix Spring Class bike race. The ride has sections of flat terrain mixed with rolling hills that make the ride challenging and scenic. The ride follows a lot of quiet and narrow roads that make for a peaceful ride. There is not a whole lot of traffic along this course but do watch out for vehicles along the narrow, and sometimes curvy roads.

This loop ride travels along the hilly terrain surrounding the Garden of the Gods recreation area providing riders with one of the most challenging rides in all of Illinois. The area of Garden of the Gods is known for its interesting rock formations and miles of scenic woodland and rolling hill landscape. There are some nice places along the route to stop, rest, and take in the scenery. There are some sections of very hilly and curvy roads as well as some busier roads that require lots of caution and paying extra attention to traffic. The starting and ending point for the ride is at Garden of the Gods which provides some nice hiking trails and lookout points that are worth a visit.

This trail follows an old railroad corridor between the towns of Roxana and Edwardsville and is named after the Watershed Nature Center which it travels near along its eastern section. The trail passes through mostly shaded wooded terrain that is quiet and peaceful. The trail has just a little bit of elevation change but nothing that is too physically strenuous and is all paved making it a great option for riders of all skill levels. The trail also connects to the Goshen Trail (which also connects to multiple other trails in the area) and the hiking loop trail located at the Watershed Nature Center which is also a scenic and interesting place to visit.

The Katy Trail is a 237 mile trail stretching across most of Missouri. It is America's longest "rails-to-trail" project, formerly the MKT rail line. This trail starts with quiet farmland and then follows large river bluffs. The recommended tire width for the trail is 25mm or wider. The trail is flat and scenic. There are long distances without access to water, so runners and hikers should carry water and plan ahead.

Starting from Rock Cut State Park, this ride offers a little bit of everything as it tours the Rockford area which includes older and new residential areas, multiple parks, and a nice section of trail that follows along the banks of the Rock River. The ride is relatively flat with just a few small hills making it a good option for riders of all skill levels. The route follows mostly paved trail and small neighborhood streets making for a quiet ride. The paved trails along the way are multi-use so watch out for walkers and joggers along the route.