General
- Hours: Sunrise to sunset
The Pecatonica Prairie Trail is a 29.5 mile (18.1 miles in Winnebago County) multi-use trail (bicycle/pedestrian/cross country skiing) between the cities of Freeport and Rockford in northern Illinois. It is the largest single segment of the northern portion of the Grand Illinois Trail that ultimately will link the Mississippi River with Lake Michigan.
The trail provides not only a fantastic recreational resource for local residents, but also a functional, safe and scenic transportation alternative connecting the cities of Freeport and Rockford while passing through the villages of Pecatonica, Winnebago and Ridott. No admission fee is required.
The Pecatonica River and several streams meander along the length of the trail. In rural areas the trail travels through farmland, woods, remnant prairies, wetlands and scenic meadows. In urban areas it runs along residential, commercial and industrial sites.