The 606 – Bloomingdale Trail

Couldn’t find this trail for the life of me. Maybe relocate the centralized marker on the map

I don’t know what is with all the haters — the 606 awesome. Almost three miles of trail elevated above the city I love — what’s not to like? I am proud that Chicago decided to finally utilize this abandoned set of railroad tracks for something good instead of letting it rot away (which is sometimes Chicago’s M.O.).
The trail is very well put together. The lanes are nice and the blue running strips on the side make a nice space for everyone to have their own bit of trail.
I’m excited to see the park expand to include more trees, parks, and places to sit. The playgrounds and parks that have already been added are really nice and provide some nice equipment for kids and adults. I’m glad that shortly after the opening, the city added drinking fountains, garbage cans, and other tiny amenities to make the trail nice.
I’m also always excited to see two parts of the city get together to exercise and enjoy the views. Since the trail goes all the way from Wicker Park to Hermosa there’s always an amazing mix of people walking, biking, running, and playing up on the trail. In a city that is so segregated, it’s always so nice to see people come together and enjoy being healthy and experiencing the city.
I hope there’s great new things coming in 2016 including more parks and stuff. Always mind trail etiquette and keep right, especially if you have a dog. Keep the leash short, don’t walk in a line of five people, and don’t look backwards when you’re biking.

The trail itself is great but the walkers walking two or three wide especially with strollers make this a frustrating place to ride. I was out there last week (early December) and had these same issues just like I had in summer.
People, be considerate of other trail users!

Wow. Chicago’s High Line. A great addition to our great city. I walked west to east. From end to end it’s 2.7 miles. It was a perfect 70 degree November day (the year 2015 will go down in history for its long Indian summer). The 606 was sparsely populated with bike riders and strollers, and no skaters, so there was plenty of room for everyone and plenty of quiet.
There are great views of rooftops and neighborhoods. The 606 is not the High Line – the ambiance is totally different. New York’s High Line has the glamour and glitz of Manhattan; it’s lushly landscaped – with high rises and the Hudson River in sight and the sounds of traffic nearby. The 606 has none of that. Instead, it has the quiet of Chicago’s neighborhoods. You see residential architecture and flat terrain, a few churches and some industrial sites. But the 606 makes it interesting, with gentle grades and side paths away from the main trail. At one point the Blue Line thunders overhead. What could be more Chicago?
New York’s High Line is a work of art; Chicago’s 606 is a work of park. The landscaping is about 2 – 3 years away from completely growing in, so it’s a tad barren now. Should they have left some remnants of the train tracks? Of course! But people probably would have tripped. No matter; the 606 is a work in progress. What progress! I love to see urban America getting better, not deteriorating like in past decades. If this is an example of the city of the future, I want in.

Beautiful trail. I had to make a poster for the 606 for one of my classes so I went to the trail with a couple of my classmates.
We started from the Wicker Park area and walked to the eastern end of the trail. The trail is split between a walking and a running/​biking lane. If I was dressed properly I definitely would have gone for a run!
This is a place I can see myself relaxing by myself, socializing with friends, or even to commute within the city.

It took us several months after opening day to finally try out the 606, but I love it. The architecture and views of the northwest side make for a great backdrop, and the elevation gives the trail just a tiny twinge of tranquility. No wonder there were so many runners, dogs, and strollers. (Not so crowded that it was unpleasant to walk, but I don’t imagine biking it is fun.) If I lived anywhere in this neighborhood, I’d go to extra lengths to live near an entrance. And I bet it will be even nicer in a year or two as all of the interesting plants fill in.

I really enjoyed running the 606! There are so many interesting buildings to look at along the way. The blue spongy path is a nice touch and made for a softer surface. In a few years, when the landscape is grown in, I think it will be really pretty. There’s a great drinking fountain at the Marshfield entrance.

This trail sheds no tears, but stimulates a plenty of happiness.
The 606-​Bloomingdale Trail may not get you all the way to Oregon, but it’s a great addition to the city. As a proud Chicagoan, I began my experimental journey through the Damen (near CTA Damen Blue Line station) entrance in Bucktown and walked westbound.
I’m not an avid jogger or biker, yet I can REALLY walk. The sceneries along the trail were beautiful, surrounded by modern-​looking condos and trees. I saw lots of bench seating, just in case you want to chat with your friend or make out with your significant other.
Hubby and I exited through Western Ave., near the CTA Western (O’Hare) Blue Line station. We knew that this wouldn’t be our last time on the trail!

As much as I want to brag about how cool it is that Chicago «has a High Line too,» I just cannot bring myself to do it because it would totally backfire. NYC has crushed us on this one, and that’s something most Chicagoans hate, hate, hate to admit. But it’s true.
I get the 606 doesn’t have to be the High Line, and vice versa, so I’m open to accept the 606 for what it is, but the more I use it, the more disappointed I get with it.
Let’s talk about the positives first:
— It’s great that folks in Wicker, Bucktown, Logan Square and Humboldt Park don’t have to schlep over to the lake to use an unobstructed path to walk/​run/​jog/​bike.
— It’s great to revive a significant piece of land that was otherwise officially unused save for the occasional drug deal or a spot for teenagers to bring that special someone.
— The rubber «shoulder» for running was thoughtful, as were the tenth-​mile markers.
— It’s a fun way to traverse east to west or west to east.
Now, allow me to complain:
— It is a concrete jungle. I get there isn’t a lot of width, but there has to be a way to have made it more park-​like and less airport tarmac.
— Was a landscaper consulted? Or did somebody just say, «Plant something. Anything!» Because now that some vegetation is growing in, it’s encroaching on the rubber shoulder, reducing what is already a narrow path. Moreover, what has been planted is unsightly — it really looks like a bunch of weeds. Somebody was asleep at the wheel.
— I really hope the LED lighting is solar powered and stays on during the day using the sun’s energy, and not ComEd’s, because we all would love to pay ComEd more via our property taxes than we already do, right?
— I see a good 3′-5′ of «planting space» on sides of the path at times. Unless you’re a golden retriever or little kid who likes playing in the mud, it’s not very good/​usable human space. Seems like putting sod/​seed down and making those areas walkable would expand the space, rather than having these so-​called plants that look like wild weeds.
— Signage that tells slow walkers to stay to the right is really needed. I could criticize those types all day long, but such dim people exist and they’re not going away. We just need signs to remind people that faster folks pass on the left.
— It is absurd Rahm demanded it «open» on June 6 (oh, I get it, ⁶⁄₀₆). The thing is far from complete, and having people up there just makes it harder on the workers, and likely delays it from getting to the end state.
There isn’t much anybody can do about the views (although the lack of them is somewhat disappointing).
I just hope the forthcoming improvements will make this a better use of space.

I’ve gotten in a habit over the last two months of watching the sunrise during my morning run on the 606, and for that reason alone I’m pretty partial. Here’s some more good things to know–
Things I really like about the 606:
1. Designated runner lanes (the blue outside stripes). The lanes are actually padded and much easier on your knees than the concrete.
2. Plenty of access points — there are entries onto the trail every few blocks, so it’s never too difficult to find your way there.
3. It’s an uninterrupted trail on the west side. Humboldt Park is great, but it’s nice to have an alternative.
The thing I don’t like:
1. This is high stakes Frogger. If you can dodge a wrench, you still might not be able to dodge the aimlessly wandering toddlers and their families, the apparent Tour De France Vets, and the groups of street youth’s that decide to just chill in the middle of the trail. You have a brave and ambitious soul if you choose to brave the 606 at 6 pm on a nice Chicago summer day. Oh also, they planted about 8 trillion bushes that are beginning to overgrow the outside running lanes, which adds a new wrinkle to the Frogger challenge.

The 606 is very much a nice amenity in the neighborhood. So why only 2 stars?
First, having been to the High Line in New York, you realize what the 606 could be… and isn’t. whereas the High Line is an urban oasis with well manicured flora, the 606 feels spartan in comparison, with little vegetation and feels cramped. There’s not enough room for bikers/​joggers/​casual strollers to co-​exist comfortably.
Also, the 606 lacks enough benches/​garbage bins/​water fountains/​bathrooms. Perhaps these amenities are planned for a future phase in the project, but as it stands, the 606 leaves me wanting more.

I have biked from start to finish a few times now and I have to say this is a great addition to the city and adds to the growing list of reasons as to why I love living in Chicago.
My only gripe is the width of the lanes.

It’s a trail.
Like the Lake Shore Path.
But instead of staring at Lake Michigan and our city’s skyline, you stare into multi-​million dollar homes and dog parks.
Go use it if you’re in the ‘hood.

A pretty awesome new running trail from Wicker to Humbouldt Park. It’s just under 3 miles long, brand new, and has several stops of interest along the way. It’s scenic, super clean, and great for people and dog watching so definitely worth checking out if you want some summer exercise.
My only gripe is that they didn’t put in any places to relieve yourself of a full bladder. I ran the whole thing and didn’t see a single bathroom so it’s a good thing it wasn’t an emergency otherwise my pants would have definitely been peed in.

I really like the 606 now having biked, walked and jogged it a handful of times. It’s not really as crowded as I think it could be, it just might feel that way because people do not follow simple etiquette when on a path that is not very wide (in some spots no more than 10 – 12 feet of actual path). Let’s all make the experience more enjoyable and smoother by following simple rules. If you already do this, thank you. You get a hearty thumbs up from me!
Rule #1: if you are on a bike and there are a lot of people, DO NOT zoom by at 74 miles per hour. Not cool.
Rule #2: if you are on a bike at any speed, you should call out «on your left» and pass on the left. I also have a bell. It’s safer that way.
Rule #3: if you are walking, stay to the SIDE of the path! Don’t take up the whole path and be aware of your surroundings!
Rule #4: joggers, I recommend staying on the blue path at the far ends — it’s softer and better for your joints.
Rule #5: if you have on music in your earbuds, you still need to pay attention to your surroundings. Again, safety!
Rule #6: don’t litter. It’s brand new and lovely. Let’s keep the path clean!
Sorry for my rules, but it would be nice if everyone followed them for an overall excellent experience! :-)
It’s definitely a nice path. Cool lookout points of traffic (ha!), water fountains and parks along the way, good views of all the buildings, great people and dog watching. It’s about 2.5 miles long one way, so it’s a decent length. Definitely nice for any kind of activity! So get your butts moving and enjoy the fresh air.

This is such a boring, non-​aesthetic piece of construction–
There are no views, nothing you want to stop and look at or take a picture of–
Rude bicyclers who think it’s Tour de France are yelling out «to your left» or «to your right» Seriously… you want to haul ass on something that is 2.7 miles long where there are children learning to ride bikes, kids skateboarding, walkers, people walking their dogs, senior citizens and joggers?
It’s very narrow and the most blah scenery ever… once we got off the 606 and just walked on normal street sidewalks that was much better than being up there–
People had told me to not waste my time going, but I wanted to get my own perspective and I have to say those people are right-It’s truly not worth going over there and walking on boring concrete with no scenery at all–

Grand opening???
Is not even finish Walsh park, bucktown we I’m done walking the trial. Today, Still have to finish on Walsh park

What in the hell is this «606» I’ve now heard about a few times? Oh, a jogging and biking trail converted from a defunct rail line, cool! Let’s sleep 4.5 hours and have at it on two wheels at the a$s crack of dawn!
Met up in River West and biked NW on Milwaukee to Leavitt, 2200W. There, up some stairs, is one of the many entry points to this above ground trail. We first biked east and hit the Kennedy. Then we biked all the way back to its western edge at Ridgeway.
It’s very «Chicago» somehow. Fairly well designed and functional but without too much beauty. It’s like those ugly Crayola prime color vinyl plastic things called kids «parks» these days, but for adults. Skip the color, let’s have concrete gray, this is Chicago after all, birthplace of the steel, glass, and concrete but usually dull and drab skyscraper! Got to fit in with that scheme!
It’s not Chicago’s fault but having visited cities like Boston and San Francisco, this little urban path just doesn’t compare to those cities’ walking and biking paths. It’s too austere, straight, and boring.
But there were some fit women jogging along it so I’ma scare up a star for that!

I’m so happy the 606/​Bloomingdale trail is finally open!
Now I can get from my apartment in Logan Square to Bucktown lickity-​split. I’m incredibly impressed with the overall look of the trail. Plenty of areas to take a break and sit down.
Can’t wait to use this infinite amounts this summer! Thumbs up Chicago.

The 606 is open and I couldn’t be happier. Tip: run or ride your bike early in the morning. By early, I mean 6am. Otherwise it will be really crowded and you won’t get any kind of workout or tranquility.
It’s 2.7 miles of clean paths. It’s a straight shot from wicker park to humboldt park. Scenic views.
Have fun exploring!