The MCT Trails system offers visitors to Madison County a free, family-friendly way to enjoy recreation and get around. The MCT Trails system is an extensive network of separate Class One bike trails. It includes twelve trails totaling more than 138 miles. Madison County Transit developed and maintains the system. Visitors looking to discover Madison via its trails will find a range of perspectives on the region—from parks and residential areas to forests and fields.
Trails through varied landscapes
The MCT Goshen Trail passes through Troy, Maryville, Glen Carbon, and Edwardsville before reaching South Roxana. The MCT Schoolhouse Trail connects parks, forests, fields, and residential areas between Madison and Troy. Both routes show the variety of landscapes described along the trails: the Goshen Trail passes through several communities, while the Schoolhouse Trail highlights different natural and residential settings.
The MCT Nature Trail is a wooded path that crosses or follows several creeks. Visitors can spot rabbits, turkeys, and deer there. Its route runs from Edwardsville past Route 159 and SIUE to Wilson Park in Granite City. The MCT Nickel Plate Trail offers another mix of landscapes, passing through forests, farmland, parks, and historic districts. The MCT Confluence Trail, meanwhile, is 20.5 miles long and has a paved or limestone surface. It begins at Russell Commons Park in Alton and ends near West 20th Street in Granite City.
Nature preserves and trails of varying lengths
At Olin Nature Preserve, protected nature is interspersed with clearly defined trail destinations. The 294-acre site is an Illinois Nature Preserve. Steep limestone bluffs offer views of the Mississippi, while sinkholes, ravines, and exposed rock ledges shape the landscape. For a shorter route, take the paved Frog Trail: the 0.5-mile loop is designated for beginners. At 2.3 miles, the Beaver Trail is longer and loops to Beaver Falls.
Mississippi Sanctuary is a 46-acre Illinois Nature Preserve with limestone bluffs, sinkholes, bottomland forests, and upland prairies. Its extensive trail network is regularly used for environmental education and outreach. The one-mile Bluff Trail leads to the edge of a cliff overlooking the Mississippi. Another way to observe nature is at Kemp and Cora Hutchinson Bird Sanctuary, a designated 42-acre nature preserve, where birds and other wildlife can be watched from an observation platform and along mowed paths. Watershed Nature Center covers more than 40 acres and serves as an outdoor learning center.
River history and cultural sites
At Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, Camp Dubois commemorates Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s winter encampment of 1803–1804. During regular opening hours, visitors can access an observation point and a memorial stone overlooking the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The National Great Rivers Museum explores the Mississippi and its habitats through interactive exhibits and a theater. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; check visiting hours in advance. Free public tours of the Melvin Price Locks and Dam are offered daily at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. It is also a good idea to check the current times shortly before your visit.
In Alton, the Pioneer Room at the Alton Museum of History and Art traces the city’s history from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Civil War. The Wadlow Room honors Alton’s “Gentle Giant,” Robert Wadlow, who is described as the tallest man in the world. Jacoby Arts Center is housed in a renovated 1899 furniture store and includes an art gallery, an educational facility, and arts and crafts. Classes for adults and children are offered in pottery, stained glass, mosaic, watercolor painting, and book arts. Check current operations and course availability before visiting.
The regional perspective is also part of the discoveries: Madison County marks the southern end of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area. Cycling trails, nature preserves, and historic sites thus offer different ways to explore Madison.
Discover more destinations: Granite City, Collinsville, Alton, Edwardsville, Hamel, Glen Carbon, Wood River, Warren County.
For the broader travel overview: Illinois.
