For the runners amongst us, the Summit does not need to be a break in your routine. With the hotel’s facilities, nearby trails, and Chicago’s running community, you won’t have to miss a step!
Here are some suggestions to help you stay with your program:
- Run indoors at the hotel. The hotel’s fitness center is open 24 hours per day, offering five treadmills, four elliptical machines, and four stationary bikes as well as weights and weight stations. According to hotel staff, the fitness center is busiest in the early morning, so plan to arrive early or get your run in between sessions later in the day.
- Run on local sidewalks. The hotel’s fitness center has mapped a 5.5 mile route along some busy roads and through one of Rosemont’s neighborhoods. Pick up a map at the Fitness Center or download it here: http://www.hyatt.com/hyatt/images/hotels/chiro/oharejog.pdf.
- Run the Des Plains River trail. Located across the river from the hotel in the Cook County Forest Preserve, the trail is a shaded, well-marked dirt path. Running there you may see deer and other wildlife. From the hotel, you can go south to join the trail from Robinson Woods on Lawrence Avenue or go north to join it near the corner of Higgins Road and East River Road. The path extends miles in each direction. The shortest complete loop is 5.1 miles, shown below. Click to enlarge.
- Run in Chicago’s Lake Front. The Chicago Park District’s Lake-Front trail boasts 18 miles of paved paths with amenities such as benches and restrooms. Even though the beaches don’t open until 25 May, Lake-Front areas such as Lincoln Park are already in full swing. To reach the Lake-Front Trail in Lincoln Park, take the CTA Blue Line to the Western-O’Hare stop and then board the #73 bus east to the intersection of Clark and North. A short walk east will bring you to the North Avenue Beach at the southern end of Lincoln Park.
- Coming early or staying after? More than two dozen Chicago area races, from 5K to marathons, are scheduled for 19-27 May. Check the Chicago Area Runners (CARA) website to find a race: http://www.cararuns.org/.
You’re making me want to get over to the Des Plaines River trail right now! 🙂
Thanks for posting this. I run 30+ miles per week and was looking for a way to get over to the preserve from the hotel. I had resigned myself to running the hotel’s 5.5 mile course over and over…
Charles, The lake front trail is really one of the best options for long distance runners, though it is a bit of a trek from the Summit (train to a bus to walking). The preserve is beautiful, and even if you have to repeat the same path, we’re sure it’ll be enjoyable! Let us know if you have any questions.
Can any of you help here? I am an inline skater (rollerblader) who would like to skate on some trails while at the Summit in Chicago. I prefer trails that aren’t intersected by road crossings. Can any of you make suggestions and provide directions? Thanks in advance!
Jeff, the best place to roller blade is on the Lake front. There’s 18 miles of paved path and a view of the city like no other. Of course, it’s not exactly near the Hyatt, but the trip would be worth it. The only non-road intersecting alternative near the Summit is the Des Plaines River Trail, but that’s mostly dirt. You might contact the Hyatt to see if they have a recommendation.
Thanks for your reply. The Lake front sounds like it would be a good experience.