Morton Arboretum Day Ride
Join us for a Friday Day Ride to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. If you haven’t visited the Arboretum, it is a true gem in our local region! The Arboretum is home to a variety of native trees, public gardens, and walking paths. We are thrilled to be partnering with arboretum docents to offer a guided tree walk and tour of the research center: Gateway to Tree Science.
We'll start in Oak Park, roll down the Illinois Prairie Path and stop in Glen Ellyn for breakfast on the way to the Arb. Our route is a simple out-and-back. After our tour of trees at the Arb, we'll head back to Oak Park.
TRIP DETAILS
- Total mileage: 44
- Pace: 10-12 mph
- Trail conditions: Road
- Type: Adult (21+)
- Start: Oak Park
- End: Oak Park
WHAT TO BRING
- Your bike!
- Helmet
- Photo I.D. and Emergency Contact Info
- Cash/Debit/Credit Card for your food and drinks
- Two spare inner tubes and tools to replace a flat (guides will be able to assist)
- At least 2 full water bottles
- Lock for your bike
- Sunscreen
- Snacks
- Welcoming, adventurous, can-do attitude!
INCLUDED
- Entry into the Arboretum is free for our group. Please consider making a donation as thanks!
- Supportive guides leading you from the start to the endpoint
- Education about our local history and nature
NOT INCLUDED
- Breakfast
About the Guides
Our guides are part of a community of volunteers who believe in adventure and helping others find adventure right out our front door. They exude a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive spirit, which are foundational values at Out Our Front Door. They love and appreciate their home and like sharing knowledge about that home with others, thus helping the riders develop a stronger sense of gratitude for our local history and nature.
The guides will be set with the route, and they have set up breakpoints along the way to ensure you can go the distance. So, if this is your first time out on a longer ride, you’ll be surprised by how far you can go. They will stick with you, and if you must end the ride early for any reason, they will help direct you to the nearest train and way to return to the city.
Guides will have the tools necessary for most simple maintenance issues that might arise. *If you have your tools or supplies, especially any unique to your bike, please bring them along.* Though guides will have extra tubes and patches, you should bring at least 2 extra tubes for your bike. If a roadside repair is not possible, then a trek to the nearest Metra Station or the best mode of public transportation may be the best option (we’ve even had folks call a friend or an Uber).
Morton Arboretum Day Ride
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Some are easy and others are a challenge, but just about anyone who has ridden a bike for a day can do the tours. If you are not an avid bike rider already, you should build up your riding distance/endurance. Not sure you can ride it? Check out other people who completed our tours here
First, always bring a spare inner tube. Our prepared Guides are always ready to help, are trained for emergency repairs, and carry extra tools and supplies.
The pace we ride at is around 12 miles per hour. This is to accommodate everyone riding the tour, to be able to take in all the views and to be able to ride a second day. You have to remember their is a second day and you should pace yourself. (We are bikers but we are not running a Tour de France). Family, Youth and Adaptive Rides roll at a slower pace to accommodate those along from the ride oftentimes dropping to the range of 8-10 mph.
No. We still ride if there is rain. Some of the best views are after a rain storm. Though safety is our top priority, so if there is extreme severe weather we will break and wait it out in a provided shelter, then continue on our journey.
We do our best to ride together as a group. That said, if some space occurs in the group, the OOFD guides will not leave anybody behind. A guide will always be riding at the back and at the front.
Always bring two spare inner tubes and a bike tool kit if you have one. Dress for the season, during spring and fall make sure to bring gloves for your hands and layer your clothing. Even when the weather is nice, when riding your bike the wind can make you chilly really quick.
We champion perseverance and the challenge. We encourage to push on, the reward of completion is great. But if turning around is an absolute must, there is always a train station relatively close by throughout the entirety of the tours.
It's really up to you. But we recommend a Touring, Road, Urban or Hybrid bike. These types of bikes make for a more comfortable ride. Attaching a bike rack will help carry your daily supplies and keep weight off your shoulders. Almost all of our routes are on paved paths/lanes or crushed packed limestone.
At the moment no. Our goal as we continue to grow we will be able to provide bicycles for participants.
Most of our rides are 2 days though we have some that are 3, 4, and even 5 days.
