Rainbow Bridge Meadow to Illinois Prairie Path and back

 The Last Day.

 Today was the day to walk the last segment of the LIT and to close the “rectangular circle” of the entire trail. After an extended holiday break, it was good to get back on the trail and to complete this particular journey.

 The official Des Plaines River Trail ends at Rainbow Bridge Meadow and the easiest way to make the connection to the start of the Illinois Prairie Path is to walk east on North Ave across the bridge to Thatcher Ave and then follow Thatcher south to Madison Street and then go west on Madison to First Ave and south to the start of the IPP.

 But these are my home woods. I live in Oak Park just east of these woods and I know that there is an unofficial path along the banks of the river from North Ave to Madison Street. This unofficial trail starts at an inconspicuous break in the crash barrier on the west side of Thatcher Ave just south of North Ave . There is an unmarked but well-defined trail along the banks of the river  – which is still a slurry mix of ice and water.

 There are a lot of Beavers along this particular stretch of the Des Plaines River. It is interesting to see the progression of their tree-felling technique. They start by gnawing on one side of the tree  and then progress to a complete girdle of the entire tree. Once the tree has been girdled, the tree dies and it is just a question of time before the entire dead tree collapses into the river.

 The trail passes under a railway bridge   and I was fortunate that the low water level in the river allowed me to pass under the bridge. This riverside trail is impassible when the river is high and there are so many side paths that I do not recommend this walk unless you are very familiar with these woods.

 South of Chicago Ave the trail becomes less well-defined and, being unmaintained, wanders around deadfalls and under branches and the arches of tree trunks. There are several transient ponds along this stretch – all frozen solid and there is a very impressive large dead snag tree to the east of the path.

 I was fortunate that the water level was low as this allowed me to continue along the increasingly faint trail along the riverbank all the way down to Madison Ave

 Then it was a quick walk west on Madison  and south on First Ave to the start of the Illinois Prairie Path and the end of this particular walk .

 Thought for Today:

 “We shall not cease from exploration

 And the end of all of our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time”

                        - T.S. Eliot {The Quarters} -