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Walk the 606

  • Tree-lined elevated bike and walking path

    Photo by Dennis O'Neil.

Journey along The 606, an elevated park and trail, connecting Chicago neighborhoods with art, history, and stunning city views.
  • Tree-lined elevated bike and walking path

    Photo by Dennis O'Neil.

Learn about The 606/Bloomingdale Trail and how it came to be during this 90-minute, one-mile walking tour along the beautifully restored Bloomingdale railroad viaduct on Chicago’s northwest side.

Duration
1.5 hours
Site Type
Parks
Location
Westside
Architects and Styles
Meet

Bloomingdale Trail entrance above Marshfield Ave., 1802 W. Bloomingdale Ave.

Since its opening in 2015, The 606 has knit together neighborhoods that were once divided by the railroad. This tour covers the history of the railroad, offers insights into the four neighborhoods the 606 passes through and explains the process of re-imagining an old railroad viaduct into a modern city park and trail.


Know before you go:

  • The tour meets at the entrance to the 606/Bloomingdale Trail above Marshfield Avenue, just north of Walsh Park. 
  • This tour takes place on the eastern portion of the trail, passing through the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods. It begins atop the trail just east of the intersection of Marshfield and Bloomingdale avenues, and ends one mile west at Western Avenue.

Tour reviews

    • What other tour allows you to walk 17 feet in the air, with no automotive traffic interference, looking down on yards and alleys, surrounded by wide selection of mostly native plants and trees for a mile - three miles in total if you keep going after our walk.
      Tom DrebenstedtCAC Docent
  • Evening view of pedestrian bridge with night sky.

    Milwaukee Avenue Bridge on the 606. Photo by Dennis O'Neil.

  • Industrial building alongside walk/bike path with lush greenery.

    Photo by Dennis O'Neil.

  • View from elevated walking path onto city street.

    Photo courtesy of The Trust for Public Land.

  • View from elevated walking path onto city street.

    Photo courtesy of The Trust for Public Land.

  • Group of bikers with helmets riding on elevated bike path with in the daytime.

    Mayor Emanuel leading the 606 opening procession. Photo by John Paige.

  • Unpopulated elevated bike path with residential buildings in background.

    Photo by Dennis O'Neil.

Group of people standing and walking under a bridge on a pedestrian path. Group of people standing and walking under a bridge on a pedestrian path.

MORE ABOUT THE 606

Discover more about the 606 in CAC's Buildings of Chicago online library.

LEARN MORE
Skyscraper GallerySkyscraper Gallery

Free Center Entry with Your Ticket

Ticket price includes entrance to the Chicago Architecture Center within 7 days of your walking or bus tour.

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