The Windy City is home to bustling city streets, wonderful food, amazing city culture, but it also boasts spectacular hiking in and near the city. Hiking in Chicago takes hikers along beautiful lakefront shores, through beautiful urban hiking trails, and beneath tranquil tree-covered trails. Just outside the city, hikers can see majestic waterfalls, stunning sand dunes, spectacular panoramic views, and much more. With so much hiking close to Chicago means there are likely a large group of hikers living in Chicago.
Below is a list of the top 8 hiking groups in Chicago. Each group will be unique with its own set of goals and focus. No matter where you are on your hiking journey, whether you are completely new or a hardened hiker with hundreds of miles on the trails, there is a group for everyone. Use this list as a starting point for hiking groups to check out in Chicago.
- Chicago Hiking, Outdoors, & Social Group – 26,270+ members
- Chicagoland 20’s & 30’s Hiking + Outdoors Meetup – 6,410+ members
- Outdoor Afro Chicago & NW Indiana – 3,720+ members
- Urban Nature Walks (Chicago) – 3,680+ members
- Windy City Hikers Meetup Group – 3,395 members
- Explorer Chicks of Chicago – 2,890+ members
- The Chicago Backpackers Meetup Group – 2,910+ members
- NOW Outdoors Wilderness Adventure Group: Chicago – 650+ members
Chicago Hiking, Outdoors, & Social Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/ChicagoHOS/
Description: Chicago Hiking, Outdoors, & Social Group is for those that love hiking and adventures. They have hikes for all skill levels, canoeing, camping, biking, social gatherings and many other outdoor activities. They have hosted a staggering 2,470+ events in the past with multiple events each week.
Chicagoland 20’s & 30’s Hiking + Outdoors Meetup
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Chicago-20-30s-Hiking-Meetup/
Description: Chicagoland 20’s & 30’s Hiking + Outdoors Meetup is for those who want to go on outdoor adventures with other 20 and 30 year olds. This group has hosted 320+ events in the past with one event each week.
Outdoor Afro Chicago & NW Indiana
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Outdoor-Afro-Chicago/
Description: Outdoor Afro Chicago & NW Indiana is a social community that reconnects African-Americans with nature through outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, biking, birding, fishing, and so much more. This group has had 230+ events in the past with weekly events.
Urban Nature Walks (Chicago)
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Urban-Nature-Walks-Chicago/
Description: Urban Nature Walks (Chicago) is for those that want to explore Chicago nature by foot, artfully, and thoughtfully. They meetup and do hikes from 4 to 8 miles at a leisurely pace. This group has had 17 events in the past with one event every few months.
Windy City Hikers Meetup Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/hiking-169/
Description: Windy City Hikers Meetup Group is an outdoors group for those who love getting outside to hike, camp. Canoe, and more! This group has had 340+ events in the past with one event each month.
Explorer Chicks of Chicago
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Explorer-Chicks-of-Chicago/
Description: Explorer Chicks of Chicago is for all chicks that dig the outdoor, adventure life, and love to travel. They have out of town hikes, backpacking workshops, and more. This group has hosted over 260+ events in the past with multiple events each week.
The Chicago Backpackers Meetup Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Chicago-Backpackers/
Description: The Chicago Backpackers Meetup Group focuses on wilderness backpacking and hiking. They also have online workshops to teach you about hiking and backpacking. This group has hosted 750+ events in the past with two events each month.
NOW Outdoors Wilderness Adventure Group: Chicago
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Chicago, IL
Link: https://www.meetup.com/NOW-Outdoors-Chicago/
Description: NOW Outdoors Wilderness Adventure Group: Chicago is for those that want to spend more time in nature, learn new outdoors skills, and meet great people. This group has hosted 50+ events in the pas with two or three events each month.t
Why should you join a Chicago hiking group?
Research
If you are new to hiking in Chicago or you want to take a break from researching hikes, then joining a Chicago hiking group will definitely help you out. The hiking groups will research, plan, and detail the hikes, so you don’t have to. The great thing about the groups is you will be able to find new hiking trails and hiking areas that you might have never heard of. All you need to do is show up and hike with the group!
Pushing Your Limits
Another benefit of joining a local hiking group is that you will be able to push your limits. If you are trying to build hiking stamina, increase your pace, or get outside of your comfort zone, then there are groups that can help you with that. By joining a group you can meet more experienced hikers that can help you improve on your stamina, pacing, and find new hiking trails you aren’t familiar with.
Shared Views
While Chicago offers many great hiking trails in and outside of the city, the best views are shared. Attending local hiking group events will introduce you to other hikers in the area where you can share the views, old hiking stories, and share the experience of the amazing trails that Chicago has to offer.
3 things to consider when joining a Chicago hiking group
Timing
The first thing you want to consider before joining a Chicago hiking group is to find out when the group meets up. Some groups will meet up on the weekends only and some will meet up on the weekdays. If you are a weekend warrior and don’t have the time to do mid-week meet-ups then find a group that has events on the weekends. If you are looking for some mid-week hikes, there are groups that host events in the middle of the week. Find a group with events that align with your schedule.
Group Goals
The next thing you should consider before joining a group is what are the group’s goals. Each group will have its own unique focus and goals for its members. Some groups will focus on training and strenuous hikes, while others will focus on relaxation. There will also be groups that only do local urban hikes and others will prefer out-of-town trips. Since there are many hiking groups to choose from then you can pick the ones that align with your current hiking goals and explore different ones as your goals evolve.
Pacing
Another key consideration before joining a hiking group is the pacing of the hikes. There are groups that prefer to hike at a fast pace and hiker longer hikes and there are other groups that prefer slower more casual paced hiking. You can check out the group’s description and hiking events to determine what pacing the group expects. By joining a group that hikes at or near your pace then you can enjoy the hikes more without feeling like you’re trying to keep up or are going too fast.
Summary
Chicago features such a wide variety of trails for hikers, from lakefront trails, the 606, marvelous waterfalls, beautiful endless prairie, splendid forested trails, and so much more. With so many great hiking sights to see, they are even better when shared with new friends you meet during these group events. Chicago has a large number of hiking groups that will help you explore the many hiking trails that will lead to great memories and new friendships.
The groups on this list only just scratch the surface of the many hiking groups available for you to check out. Just like your trail exploration, be sure to explore the other hiking groups and hiking clubs that Chicago has to offer. Have a wonderful time on all of your Chicago hiking adventures!
