A New Place to Play

All, From the Field

Regional Trail to Connect Two Great Parks

An aerial view of the proposed trail route connecting Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods.
The proposed trail route connecting Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods.
(Click to see full-size map.)

Finding opportunities to spend time together outside can often be hard for busy families. One solution is to replace a trip traditionally taken in a car with one along a trail. Trails are a healthier, safer and more enjoyable way to get from one place, or one park, to another.

Great Parks is working on connecting two of its most popular parks by trail: Glenwood Gardens and Winton Woods. Technically the two already adjoin – the back boundaries of the combined 2,890 acres of protected green space are seamless to local wildlife. But when people want to get from one park to the other, they are faced with a 10-minute drive. Great Parks is making that trip easier with a 2.8-mile path between the two parks.

This new paved trail is still in the design phase, so it’s not ready to ride on just yet. Between design, funding and construction, the trail is still at least five years from completion. A grant from Interact for Health paid for a feasibility study, which included input from surrounding community members. The study revealed an optimal route that winds through Winton Woods, past the park’s campground and reservoir, through tree-lined neighborhoods and alongside Glenview Golf Course before re-entering Great Parks in beautiful Glenwood Gardens.

A couple walks along a paved, multi-use trail in Winton Woods.
This new paved trail would connect Winton Woods (pictured) and Glenwood Gardens.

Developed with multiple uses in mind, a wide off-road design will give plenty of room for runners, walkers, strollers and bikers to all enjoy the space safely away from cars. Less than three miles long, the length makes it ideal for kids just learning their way around a pedal, with lots of stops for bathrooms, playgrounds, wildlife viewing and even ice cream along the way. For adults wanting more of a workout, the trail can be combined with others nearby to increase the mileage. Take a detour around Winton Lake or continue out of Glenwood Gardens onto the West Fork Mill Creek Greenway Trail that travels through Woodlawn and Wyoming.

The Glenwood Gardens to Winton Woods multi-use trail will be a new place to play for people all over the TriState. It’s one of many steps Great Parks is taking to better connect communities to each other and to their parks in a way that is safe and fun for everyone.


Becky Osinski
Regional Planning Coordinator