Sean's Epic Death March II: Lakefront Boogaloo 18.5 miles, 6.5 mile option
Details
Hiking through the entirety of the Lakefront Trail, South to North. Please read through the description below.
Meeting Spot
Lake Meadows Park
3117S Rhodes Ave, Chicago IL, 60616
41°50'14.6"N 87°36'48.1"W
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jj2JMJiHACAKLQbH8
Optional Dinner Afterwards
Medici on 57th
1327 E 57th St, Chicago, IL 60637
Parking
Free, non-permit parking along the park in a residential neighborhood. Opposite side of the street is permit parking, but from only 5pm-6am. The short option for the event isn't going to last that long.
Bathrooms
Try to find a bathroom before the hike. Especially if you're driving from far away. First bathroom won't be until 1.5 miles into the hike. There's tons of bathrooms all along the trail. Some won't be open. But there's also plenty of Porta Potties scattered throughout.
The Plan
We will meet across the street from the park in the big open field. From there we will hop into a few cars and head to the start point. We will depart at exactly 10:15am with whoever has arrived. Hikers who are doing the shorter 6.5mile option, their cars will stay there. This is near the endpoint of the shorter hike. Those of us doing the 18.5 mile option will be the ones ferrying everyone to the start point.
Start point is:
2559 E 71st St. Chicago IL, 60649
https://maps.app.goo.gl/stPjZ9M9C4qfJkmH7
This is the southern trailhead for the Lakefront Trail.
Hike Description
The entirety of the hike will take place along Chicago's Lakefront Trail. Expect a lot of water, tall buildings, car noise and smog from Lake Shore Drive.
Shorter Option
6.5 miles on the trail. 0.4 miles to where your cars are parked. The hike will go from the South Shore Cultural Center to 31st Street Beach. We will be walking around 2.5-2.7mph. The short option should take 2 and a half hours. At the endpoint, walk West along 31st Street on the bridge over the train tracks. Take a left on the first street past the bridge. This is where the cars were parked.
Death March Option
18.5 miles total. Endpoint is Kathy Osterman Beach aka Hollywood Beach. This is the north trailhead for the Lakefront Trail. There will be a 20 minute break at the 6.5 & 12 mile marks. The hike should take 8 hours total to complete. I will then pay for an Uber XL (or two) to ferry us back to our cars waiting on 71st Street.
Planned Breaks
Mile 6.5: Pier 31 Restaurant
https://maps.app.goo.gl/S5FoW3MgcBL411Fs5
Mile 12: Oak Street Beach Restaurant
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2bHszTB6kpV5jaoR7
Bathrooms, other spots to take a break, refill water, etc.
Mile 1.5: 63rd Street Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/uq9HjcTiGojqkEB9A
Mile 2.37: 57th Street Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PKrWjddV9Xaz77ks9
Mile 3.8: 49th Street Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5JZAyMKAwtcbG6fd6
Mile 4.7: Burnham Park
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DkFJbu4U2R36NPtD7
Mile 5: Oakwood Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/oEiNPZsG7aYEaoQK6
Mile 9.94: Monroe Harbor
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FUJ7csuCm4wtdFKbA
Mile 10.04: Dusable Harbor
https://maps.app.goo.gl/J4CBMygemAhvqwkB9
Mile 13.02: North Avenue Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/sLN5sUtERfhqnjF59
Mile 13.7: Theater on the Lake
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DYCUXjx9LLwcQ9wF8
Mile 17.7: Foster Beach
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ncPp8gSMv98ksaDY9
Mile 18.45: Kathy Osterman Beach House
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AA4eQFEsJfbT3cYW6
If you need to bail
If for whatever reason, someone needs bail during the middle of the hike, CTA, Uber & Lyft are available. Use one of these to get back to your car.