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        <title>Chicago Suburb Real Estate &amp; Area Guide</title>
        <link>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/trails-walkingbike-paths/</link>
        <description>New real estate listings, entertainment, recreation, news and things to do in Chicago and surrounding suburbs.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/say-good-bye-to-swallow-cliff-toboggan-slides.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/say-good-bye-to-swallow-cliff-toboggan-slides.html</link>
            <author>judyorr@gmail.com (Judy Orr)</author>
            <title>Say Good-bye to Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
    Photo originally uploaded by PaulEisenberg


Let me first say that I have never had fun on the Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides located in Palos Township.  A friend of mine broke her back on them in the '60s and the truth is, I don't think I'd be interested even if that didn't happen.  I'm afraid of heights and fast rides.  But I've used that excuse about my friend ever since.      My son Chad &amp; I wound up at the Toboggan Slides walking a trail at Horseshoe Lake located in Palos Park over the summer this year.  Because I've never been on the cliffs I couldn't remember exactly where they were located.  Running into them during a trail walk was like finding an old treasure.      Sadly, that treasure, dangerous or not, will be leaving us.  Cook County Forest Preserve District commissioners voted this week to get rid of the slides and regrade the hill for sledding.  They feel repairing them would cost too much.  It was stated that fixing them would run around $4 million, whereas removing them and regrading the hill would be approximately $1.3 million dollars.      They were officially closed down in 2004 but were operable for decades.  However, weather had to be cooperative for them to be used with enough snow (at least 4 inches) and temps of 25 degrees or under.        These are not the only slides that will be removed in Cook County.  I thought we had the only toboggan slides in the area but others are being removed from Bemis Woods in Western Springs and Deer Grove in Palatine.      Even though I had no use for these slides I guess I'm just a sentimental fool.  There were a couple others on the committee that did not want this memory erased but they were outnumbered by their opponents and the financial facts.  I'll need to take my grandkids out there and take more photos to remember this piece of Palos Park real estate before it's gone. 
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            <pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:12:56 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/evergreen-park-walking-trail.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/evergreen-park-walking-trail.html</link>
            <author>judyorr@gmail.com (Judy Orr)</author>
            <title>Evergreen Park Walking Trail</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I have been wanting to try out the new Evergreen Park walking trail located in Yukich Park at approximately 90th &amp; Kedzie.  It is on the east side of the street.  



It states that it is about 1.4 miles long around and there are a couple of different paths to make the walk longer or shorter.  There are several ponds with shooting water features when you drive up but there is no tree coverage so on a hot, sunny day this would be a sweltering walk.   


We actually went around 3 times since it was one of the cooler days we've had recently.  You basically walk around the sports fields in the middle.  There is a cemetary to the east over the fence.  On the west side there is a skating rink and it was interesting to watch the skateboarders inside.  


Not one of my favorites and I don't know if we'll be going back.  We're trying to stop going for ice cream after walking as it defeats the purpose, but being in Evergreen Park I thought of Rainbow Cones located at 92nd &amp; Western.  I'll write more about that in another post.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 10 Aug 2006 09:21:01 -0500</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <guid>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/lake-katherine-walking-trail-in-palos-heights.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/lake-katherine-walking-trail-in-palos-heights.html</link>
            <author>judyorr@gmail.com (Judy Orr)</author>
            <title>Lake Katherine Walking Trail in Palos Heights</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens is one of my favorite walking trails.  The surroundings are beautiful and the actual trail winds around Lake Katherine in Palos Heights.  There is a waterfall to the east which allows a view from the top (I've used a few photos of Lake Katherine on my photo slideshow on my Cook County Real Estate website and blog). 


 
You can start at the waterfall and catch up with the main trail, but if you have strollers there is a steep incline going up.  The trail is mulched and no bikes are allowed, no picnics nor can you fish.  I prefer a pure walking trail over a bike/walking path any day.  However, be prepared to empty your shoes of mulch.




If you want to bypass the waterfall you can cross over the bridge which leads you to the circular trail.  On the trail is an Herb Garden and a Butterfly Garden.  There is also an offshoot going past The Children's Garden (which seemed a bit overgrown this year) which takes you on a dead-end, one-way path that you have to backtrack on.



There are plenty of waterfowl including ducks, geese and even swans.  In Spring it's fun to see the babies.  This is great for the kids.  Other animals you might see are dogs taken for a walk by their owners as they are allowed on the trail.



A full circle is a bit under a mile so we always try to go around three times.  I don't think that's happened in a while though. This is one of the trails we walk the most and it's located off of Route 83 just west of Harlem Ave.  You will turn north when you see the Lake Katherine signs.  There is parking to the east of the trail entry.


If you're interested in Palos Heights homes for sale click the link.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 22 Nov 2005 17:45:03 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/orland-park-trail.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.cook-county-real-estate.net/blog/orland-park-trail.html</link>
            <author>judyorr@gmail.com (Judy Orr)</author>
            <title>Orland Park Trail</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The four of us (Chad, Brett, Elle &amp; I) decided to actually take a walk today instead of brushing it off like we did two days ago because it was too cold (and went to a 

Lockport museum

 instead).  We decided to give the John Humphrey Trail in Orland Park a try again.  


The trail is disjointed; you can make it a circle, or more like a figure-eight, but you do walk off the trail into residential areas for several blocks.  The trail also branches out going south and I'm not sure how far it goes, but it seems like a straight path and it isn't tree-lined.  In fact, it's right off Ravinia Ave.



We parked behind the Orland Park Police Station and started the trail going north past the old stone house.  We soon were off the trail and walked west on sidewalks and through a residential area but it was fun seeing some nice old Victorian style homes.  Unfortunately, there were sewer repairs being done &amp; the street was torn up.
We walked to West Ave. where we turned south again to get to the park where there is a picnic area and a couple of transplanted log cabins.  Brett and Elle played around in front of one. 



This is the best part of the trail as you're walking through the small forest preserve which is pretty in summer or fall.  I was glad we didn't have strollers because the last time we walked this trail we did and it was difficult in this hilly terrain. We ended the circle by passing the old stone cabin again and were back in the parking lot. 



You walk through the parking lot and get on the trail again which passes by the west side of the police station.  The forest preserve ends and you can go left or right to finish the circle.  We tried to keep the wind behind us so we turned west.  The forest preserve is now to the north but it and the actual trail ends at a parking lot for the sports field in the middle.
You walk south through the parking lot and catch the trail again.  We tried to keep Elle from seeing the children's playground but she did catch a glimpse and mentioned the slide but we kept walking.  There was a teenage football team practicing in the field.
This entire part of the circle, or loop, is out in the open and is very hot on a warm, sunny day as there are no trees to provide shade.  It was nice today although it was very windy because of the lack of trees or any kind of wind barrier.  We circled around and went back to the car.  We forgot our pedometers but it took us a bit over an hour.  We did have two little ones with us, though, and they hold us up, plus the photo ops.
This is not my favorite trail although on a fall day it was a nice time to walk it.


If you're interested in Orland Park homes for sale, just click the link and you'll be able to view all current Orland Park listings.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Sat, 12 Nov 2005 00:53:33 -0600</pubDate>
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