A scenic drive can provide a relaxing way to reconnect with nature, learn about the past and gain a fresh outlook by exploring the region.
One could spend a few hours on a leisurely Sunday afternoon driving a big loop through the south suburbs, past forest preserves, golf courses and remnants of a bygone industrial era.
Byways like Francis Road from New Lenox to Mokena, Sauk Trail east of Frankfort, Monee Road, Glenwood-Dyer Road, Thorn Creek Road in Thornton Township, Vincennes Avenue in Harvey, Cal-Sag Trail in Palos Township and New Avenue in Lemont offer a scenic tour of oak tree groves, farm fields and historic points of interest.
Many routes run diagonally, as opposed to straight north-south or east-west. Some were built on paths forged by early settlers or native inhabitants. Scenic drives follow rivers and creeks through woods and past parks, playgrounds and numerous roadside attractions.
A drive could be a low-cost family outing to a recreational destination or a chance for adults to enjoy the sights on their way to a dining establishment. Here is one suggested route that connects nine of the area’s scenic byways.
1. Francis Road from New Lenox to Mokena. Every journey starts somewhere. This one begins at Gougar Road in New Lenox, near Will County’s Potawatomi Woods Forest Preserve and Joliet’s Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory. Francis Road is a less-traveled alternative to Route 30 (Lincoln Highway) and 187th Street.
One could continue on the road east of downtown Mokena, where its name changes to La Porte Road. East of LaGrange Road, one could jog over to St. Francis Road and take that to Harlem Avenue. For this journey, however, we’re turning from eastbound Francis Road onto southbound Wolf Road in Mokena.
2. Sauk Trail east of Frankfort. After traveling south on Wolf Road through the Hickory Creek Forest Preserve, a left turn onto Lincoln Highway and a right onto Elsner Road takes one to historic downtown Frankfort via Nebraska Street. The charming shops and inviting eateries are wonderful to visit. One could head southeast from downtown Frankfort on Sauk Trail, past the Fort Frankfort playground at Commissioners Park.
The next stop is Monee, and there are a few options to meander to the south and east, including Steger Road and Central Avenue. Another way is to head south on Harlem Avenue, which is a two-lane strip of blacktop when it reaches Monee-Manhattan Road.
3. Monee Road. Approaching Monee from the west, one passes the giant Amazon fulfillment center and crosses Interstate 57. There are truck stops and fast food joints for fuel, food or bathroom breaks. Governors Highway runs through town. The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Monee Reservoir is nearby.
Heading east on Court Street, before it turns into Crete-Monee Road, one could follow a sign for Old Monee Road, which appears on maps as Steger Monee Road. This is a winding, open stretch of gently curving blacktop reminiscent of “that ribbon of highway” that Woody Guthrie sang about in “This Land Is Your Land.”
One will drive past Will County’s Thorn Creek Woods Nature Preserve, which features an 1862 church converted into a visitor center maintained by the village of Park Forest.
4. Glenwood-Dyer Road. North of University Parkway, near Governors State University in University Park, Monee Road ends at Western Avenue. A short jog connects one again with Sauk Trail, which winds through South Chicago Heights and Sauk Village before ending at Route 30 near the Indiana border.
One could follow a sign for Old Lincoln Highway, turn left onto Route 30 and stay on the road as it becomes Illinois 83, then Glenwood-Dyer Road near Lynwood. After crossing Illinois 394 heading northwest, one could turn right onto Cottage Grove Avenue in Glenwood.
5. Thorn Creek Road. Cottage Grove Avenue becomes Thorn Creek Road as it winds through Cook County’s massive Brownell Woods and Wampum Lake Woods forest preserves. The next destination is the village of Thornton, a quaint community where a distillery occupies a historic limestone building.
Where Thorn Creek Road ends, turn left onto Margaret Street, then right onto Williams Street. Head north past the enormous Thornton Quarry as the road becomes State Street north of Interstate 294. Turn left at Armory Drive, which appears on digital maps as 167th Street.
6. Vincennes Avenue. We’re more than halfway through the journey at this point. If we thought of our loop as a round clock, we’d be heading counterclockwise now from the three toward the 12 at the top of the hour.
This part of the journey goes through industrial areas where one can see remnants of factories and manufacturing centers. Sauntering through South Holland and Phoenix, one might catch a glimpse of a concrete tower with castle-like features near 152nd and Halsted streets in Harvey.
The local landmark is known as “Bum’s Castle” and was formerly a grain elevator for a railroad.
7. Sibley Boulevard. From Harvey, one could continue northwest as Vincennes Avenue turns into Vincennes Road, then Thornton Road near Cook County’s Kickapoo Meadows Forest Preserve. You could make your way west on 135th Street toward Crestwood, where Cicero Avenue crosses the Little Calumet River.
However, a stopped freight train near Wood Street could prompt a change in plans. One could backtrack south on Wood Street — past ruins of Dixmoor’s abandoned Wyman-Gordon steel mill — to Sibley Boulevard, or 147th Street. One could take 147th Street to Ridgeland Avenue, turn right and take Ridgeland past the Rubio Woods and Burr Oak Woods forest preserves to College Drive in Palos Heights.
8. Cal-Sag Trail. West of Harlem Avenue, College Drive becomes Cal-Sag Trail, near Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanical Garden. From there, one could take Southwest Highway toward Orland Park. If one continues westward, one passes Swallow Cliff Woods, the former toboggan run that has a modern pavilion with clean restrooms.
Cal-Sag Trail also is Illinois 83 as it passes through Saganaskee Slough Woods and other Cook County forest preserves in Palos Township that are beautiful any time of year. Options include taking Illinois 171 south past Cog Hill Golf & Country Club or north through Bullfrog Lake and other forest preserves on the way to Willow Springs.
Years ago, a crew filmed a scene in these woods for the 1989 Gene Hackman film, “The Package.” A car chase ended in a fiery crash. The setting was supposed to be Germany’s Black Forest. That’s how thick the woods are outside Willow Springs.
9. New Avenue from Lemont to Lockport. From the intersection of routes 171 and 83 near Lemont, one could also take Main Street, which runs along the Des Plaines River. Lemont’s historic downtown has restaurants and other destinations. The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago is nearby. If one is inclined, southbound Lemont Road south of Interstate 55 offers a breathtaking vista of steeples from the village’s houses of worship poking above the tree line.
The home stretch from downtown Lemont could include a trip along New Avenue, past sprawling refineries and other commercial operations. New Avenue merges with Illinois 171 in Lockport, and one could end the circular journey at the historic former Joliet prison along Collins Street.
There are myriad alternate routes and countless attractions throughout the region. This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive digest, but more of a suggestion to consider some scenic drives to explore the south suburbs.
Twitter @tedslowik1
