Winter Hiking in Chicago: Trails, Gear & Safety
Winter hiking near Chicago usually means a choice between two kinds of trip. The first is the drive to Starved Rock and Matthiessen, where January turns the canyon waterfalls into columns of blue ice and the stairs and boardwalks into some of the slickest footing in the state. The second stays closer to home, on forest preserve and arboretum loops where the hazards are wind across open ground and the occasional set ski track. This guide sorts all eight trails in our Chicago collection by how well they handle winter. It covers which canyons the Illinois DNR says need traction, where ice climbers are allowed, which trail at Matthiessen is still partly closed, and where to walk when the canyons are too icy or the drive isn't worth it. Around Chicago, plan for ice, cold and wind, not avalanches.
Starved Rock in January: icefalls and slick stairs
The Illinois DNR is direct about winter at Starved Rock: trails will be icy and snow packed, and traction devices such as micro cleats or Yaktrax are highly recommended. The park's question-and-answer guide says icefalls form in the sandstone canyons along the green-marked trails in January, and it lists French and LaSalle canyons as unsuitable in winter for anyone without cleats. Tonti is closed to hikers. Our guides add the 2026 situation. A multi-year trail, bridge and stair project has closed LaSalle, Tonti, Pontiac, Basswood and Lonetree canyons and several bluff and river trail sections, while Saint Louis, Aurora, French and Wildcat canyons and Starved Rock itself stay open. For winter, the Saint Louis Canyon Trail is the most dependable choice. It's 2.2 miles out and back with about 262 feet of gain along the canyon floor, and because its falls are spring-fed, our guide calls it the most reliable place in the park to see a frozen waterfall. Ice climbing isn't permitted in this canyon, so you can stand at the base and enjoy it in peace. Put traction on at the lot.
Sharing Wildcat Canyon with ice climbers
The 5.2-mile Starved Rock, Wildcat and French Canyon loop, with 534 feet of gain, passes one of the four canyons where the DNR allows ice climbing. Climbers sign in at the maintenance building opposite the Visitor Center and may only climb from 7 a.m. to dusk. Park rules forbid them from sending ice down onto other visitors, but stay well back from the base of an active climb. A detour near the closed French Canyon Creek river trail may also apply.
Matthiessen Dells: worth it, with the detour
Matthiessen is the quieter neighbour, and our guide lists winter as one of its seasons. Before you go, know that the Dells Canyon Trail is only partly open. As of the Illinois DNR's August 2026 alerts, the Lake Falls bridge and trail at the upper end of the Dells were closed to all hikers until further notice, with a detour posted. Expect to follow the detour and possibly miss that part of the 2.2-mile, 229-foot loop. The restroom at the Dells lot was also closed, with portable toilets on site. In winter, the stepping-stone creek crossings on the canyon floor are the hardest part. Wet stone freezes into rounded humps that are hard to stand on, and the staircases linking the rim to the floor need traction too. Off-trail travel, climbing and rappelling are all prohibited at Matthiessen. The canyon walls are soft sandstone that crumbles, and in winter they're often coated in ice. If a crossing looks glazed, go back up to the bluff trail along the rim, which still gives you views down into the frozen canyon.
Doing both parks in one short day
Both parks keep trails open from 7 a.m. to sunset, and the drive from Chicago is roughly 90 minutes each way, so on a December day there's less time than it seems. Do Saint Louis Canyon first while the light is good, then add Matthiessen. The Starved Rock Visitor Center is open 9 to 4 but closes on winter state and federal holidays from November through February. Illinois charges no entrance fee at its state parks.
When the wind is the real problem
Closer to the city, the trails are flat and the main winter challenge is exposure. Several of our guides cross open ground with nothing to block the wind. The Busse Woods loop runs 7.4 miles around Busse Lake, and our guide notes the lakeside stretches have little shade, which in January also means little shelter. Waterfall Glen's 9.5-mile loop includes prairie sections that face the wind directly, and Lake Defiance circles a lake through marsh and open ground. The National Weather Service now issues a Cold Weather Advisory and an Extreme Cold Warning for dangerous cold, names that replaced the wind chill advisory and warning in October 2024 to make clear that extreme cold is dangerous with or without wind. Its own example is worth remembering: 0 degrees with a 15 mph wind feels like 19 below, and exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes. On days like that, shorten the route. At Busse, use one of the many access points for a short out-and-back in the woods. At Waterfall Glen, start from Bluff Road and visit the waterfall, about half a mile away, instead of the full loop.
Dressing for flat, windy ground
On flat terrain you don't produce much heat, so dress warmer than you would for a climb. A windproof shell matters more than a thick fleece. Add a hat that covers your ears, a gaiter you can pull over your nose, and mittens over liner gloves so you can use your phone without exposing bare skin. Keep the wind at your back on the return, when you're tired and damp.
Preserves and the arboretum when the canyons are too icy
When the canyons are glazed, stay closer to home. Busse Woods is the simplest option. Our guide recommends the paved loop in winter and early spring when the dirt trails are muddy, but remember you're sharing it with cyclists and runners year-round. At Waterfall Glen, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County says rangers may groom and set ski tracks when there's enough snow. Classic skiers use the edge of the trail, and freestyle skiers and everyone else, walkers included, stay in the center. The preserve is open from one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset, and the restrooms at the waterfall lot close in fall and winter. The Morton Arboretum stays open all winter with timed-entry admission, from 9 a.m. to sunset. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed only when there are at least four inches of snow. The arboretum rents both once the snow is deep enough, and it notes that the East Side trails aren't open for skiing or snowshoeing until mid-January. The 6-mile Big Rock loop and the 3.1-mile Joy Path loop are both good walks in fresh snow.
Lake Defiance and the deer-season gate
The 3.9-mile Lake Defiance loop at Moraine Hills is flat and quiet in winter, but check the calendar. Our guide notes the park closes for firearm deer season, the Friday through Sunday before Thanksgiving and the Thursday through Sunday after, as well as on Christmas and New Year's Day. Snow or ice can delay the morning opening. When the trails are groomed for skiing, keep off the set tracks.
Swallow Cliff and the other winter tiers
Swallow Cliff Stairs is the trail to check before you drive. The 2.5-mile route with 226 feet of gain combines the original CCC limestone stairs with a newer 168-step staircase. Our guide records that the Cook County forest preserves have shut the stairs when ice builds up, and the steps are uneven in height, which makes them treacherous once glazed. Look for preserve alerts before you go, and if the stairs are open but icy, wear traction and descend by the newer staircase. Here are all eight of our Chicago trails sorted by how well they handle winter. Best in winter, with traction: Saint Louis Canyon, and the Starved Rock and Wildcat loop as long as you follow detours. Reliable on cold or icy days: Busse Woods, Waterfall Glen, and The Morton Arboretum once there's enough snow for snowshoes. Good with some planning: Matthiessen Dells, because of the Lake Falls closure, frozen crossings and icy stairs, and Lake Defiance, because of deer-season and holiday closures. Check alerts first: Swallow Cliff Stairs.
Spikes, snowshoes or just boots
Use the arboretum's four-inch rule as a guide: with less snow than that, snowshoes don't help. Microspikes are the gear that matters most around Chicago, for canyon floors, stairs, boardwalks and packed snow that has partly thawed and refrozen. Waterproof insulated boots handle the paved Busse loop and the limestone at Waterfall Glen in most conditions. Leave crampons at home unless you're climbing ice.
Frozen water and the hazards that replace avalanches
Avalanche.org lists the country's avalanche forecast centers, and none of them cover northern Illinois. That's not a gap. Avalanches aren't the hazard here. What hurts people in a Chicago winter is a fall on ice, cold exposure, and frozen water that looks safe. The DuPage forest preserves recommend at least four inches of ice for any activity on a frozen lake, and present that as a guideline, not a guarantee. Lake Defiance and Busse Lake both freeze over, and footprints across them don't mean the ice is safe. Moving water is different again. Creeks in the canyons and the Illinois River below Starved Rock flow under the ice, so stay on the marked trails along them. The DNR also asks dog owners not to let dogs drink from canyon creeks or the river, so bring water for your dog. At Starved Rock, the main danger is the sandstone rim. Our guides record deaths after people left marked trails or climbed past barriers, and ice and snow can hide where a rim edge actually is. In winter, keep to the brown, green or red marked paths without exception.
Before you leave the house
Check the NWS forecast for wind chill, the DNR's Starved Rock and Matthiessen closures pages, and the forest preserve alerts for Swallow Cliff. Charge your phone and keep it warm, pack a headlamp in case sunset comes sooner than you expect, and tell someone which park you're visiting. Canyons can have weak cell signal, so download a map before you leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Starved Rock open for hiking in winter?
Yes. Trails are open from 7 a.m. to sunset, and January is the best month for icefalls. The DNR highly recommends micro cleats or Yaktrax, and several eastern canyons remain closed for the trail project. Saint Louis Canyon is open and has the most reliable icefall, while the Wildcat loop may need detours.
Where can I hike near Chicago when Starved Rock is too icy?
Busse Woods has a paved 7.4-mile loop that works in most winter conditions. Waterfall Glen's wide limestone loop stays open to walkers, who keep to the center when ski tracks are set. The Morton Arboretum is open all winter and allows snowshoeing once there are four inches of snow.
Are the Swallow Cliff Stairs open in winter?
Sometimes. Ice has closed them in past winters, and the uneven limestone steps are risky when glazed. Check preserve alerts before you go. If the stairs are open, wear traction and use the newer staircase to descend. Dogs aren't allowed on the stairs at any time of year.