About the Ride
While in Illinois visiting my aunt and cousins, my husband and I drove to the Kyle Road parking lot in O’Fallon to ride on the Goshen Trail, eventually connecting to the Nickel Plate Trail. Both paths are part of the larger MCT (Madison County Transit) trail system.
We cut a planned 62-mile route short by driving to the start, cutting off about 8 miles (16 roundtrip). We decided to extend the route two miles past our initial turnaround point (somewhere between Kaufman and Alhambra) to hit a satisfying 50-mile total ride. The route provided a nice mixed-surface challenge, as fifteen of the 50 miles were on crushed stone.
The Goshen Trail was a pretty, relatively flat, and accessible path that guided us through small communities, towns, and past beautiful Midwestern farmland. The Nickel Plate Trail section, in contrast, took us more directly through open fields and past numerous farms. Along the way, in addition to spotting actual livestock like goats and cows, we enjoyed some fun trailside art—a kind of ‘wild animal’ sighting specific to the suburbs!
Changes in Weather
The temperature and humidity in Illinois felt dramatically warmer and stickier than what we had become accustomed to after spending the previous three weeks riding and hiking in the cooler and dryer climates of southern Utah, northern Utah, and Glacier National Park in Montana.
The immediate difference was underscored by my Garmin, which reported a mere 15% heat acclimation level after the ride. It was a clear confirmation of how those recent wonderfully cool mountain days in Montana had spoiled us.
Ride Overview
- • Ride Name: 62-SwanseaEdwardsvilleOnGoshenTrail
- • Ride with GPS: Link to turn-by-turn navigation cue sheet
- • Location: Goshen Trail and Nickel Plate Trail, O’Fallon, Illinois
- • Course Type: Out and back
- • Course Surface: paved and crushed stone
- • Bike: Salsa Warbird
- • Distance: 50.24 miles
- • Moving Time: 3:42:56
- • Average Speed: 13.5 MPH
- • Elevation Gain: 636 feet
- • Elevation Range: 516 to 642 feet
- • Weather: 78° and cloudy, climbing to 85°
- • Date of ride: July 18, 2025
- • Start time: 10:36 AM
Fun Pictures from Along the Way
From our start at the Kyle Road parking lot in O’Fallon, the trail was well-marked with maps, signs, and safety reminders, making navigation easy.
Cloud cover kept the temperature comfortable as we headed north on the rail trail and I had to work hard to keep up with my husband who was gaining on me with every stroke of the pedal.
Along this stretch, we passed over several interesting bridges and rode through a couple of tunnels. I particularly liked this cool, screened-in bridge we crossed!
Following the trail signs…
Before the trail completely transitioned from suburbia to country, we passed a field of goats. No matter how hard I coaxed them to look up, they were too busy eating to pay any attention to me!
In Edwardsville we turned onto the Nickel Plate Trail and followed it out of suburbia and into the country.
The Nickel Plate Trail remained paved for a few miles until we got farther out into the country.
The transitioning trail was rough for a very short distance, but once we rode past that choppy section, the trail became very nice with packed dirt and crushed stone.
Our view along this section was mostly fields stretching for miles in all directions, dotted with the occasional farm buildings: barns, silos, and farm houses.
Another cool bridge…
My husband had ridden slightly ahead and was standing down in the ditch to take a picture of me as I rode by, and I’m glad he did because the picture turned out great!
Trailside Art
We enjoyed some fun trailside art dotted all along both trails—everything from human-sized wild animals to even the Loch Ness Monster!
Garmin Stats
Post-ride Garmin…
Garmin map and elevation graph…
Final Thoughts on the Rides
The 50-mile Goshen and Nickel Plate Trails ride offered a fun and scenic experience, contrasting the paved sections in suburbia with sections of rougher, crushed stone and packed dirt that defined the country portion of the journey. While navigating the trails, we enjoyed expansive views of Midwestern farmland and occasional sightings of farm buildings, along with whimsical trailside art. We we definitely do this ride again!
Questions
- • Have you ridden any part of the MCT trail system in Illinois? ~ This was a first for us.
- • Which piece of trailside art do you like best? ~ I like the color of the bear and the shape/whimsy of the cat.
- • Do you stop and relax occasionally to fuel or take pictures, or barrel on through when on a long run or ride? ~ pictures, always pictures, unless I’m racing
This sounds like a really satisfying ride: long enough to feel earned, but flexible enough to stay enjoyable.
Cutting the route smartly and still landing on 50 miles sounds perfect!
The contrast between suburbia, farmland, crushed stone, goats, and random trailside art makes this a very attractive bike ride – I wouldn’t mind doing this one myself!
Will you be doing it next year already or will you skip a year until you do it again?
It was a great ride, Catrina! We try to go through Illinois to visit my aunt and cousins during our cross country road trips so doing this ride again is very possible. There’s a trail we did the previous summer with my cousins that I liked a lot also, so it’s a possibility for a repeat, too.
I love how you document your rides. I always feel like I’m there.
Never been… love the cat, of course.
Pictures for sure!
Thanks, Darlene, I’m glad you enjoy the cycling and hiking recaps.
Well, Illinois sure isn’t Utah or Montana! But the midwest is beautiful in its own way, and this post gave me some nostalgia (Illinois is my home state). That photo your husband took of you really is great. And I love quirky things that you see on trails like this (those statues!)
To answer your question- photos! I love to take photos! I’m not in any rush to get anywhere, I might as well slow down and document the experience.
LOL, yes the Illinois scenery isn’t quite the same as the vast, open Utah desert or Montana’s turquoise lakes and snow capped mountains – it’s very similar to where I live in Virginia.
I am all about stopping to admire an area. That loch ness monster statue is gorgeous, but I do love the little kitty cat, too.
My time in Illinois has been restricted to Chicago, so no, never done this.
Another fabulous adventure for you and your husband!
Yes, isn’t the Loch Ness monster statue fun!?