Granite City · US
Madison County Transit Nature Trail
The MCT Nature Trail is a 15-mile paved rail-trail threading through Madison County, Illinois, from the wooded bluffs above Edwardsville down into the fertile floodplain of the American Bottom, ending at the beautiful Wilson Park in Granite City. Part of the interconnected Madison County Transit trail system, it offers a traffic-free corridor for walking, cycling, and in-line skating that passes through remarkably varied landscapes — open farmland, wetlands, tree-lined creeks, university grounds, and older neighborhoods. What makes this trail special is its sheer diversity within a single route. Riders can experience a gentle downhill glide from the bluffs down to the Mississippi floodplain, spot deer, wild turkeys, and rabbits along wooded stretches, and connect seamlessly to other MCT trails for rides spanning 35 miles or more.