Best Moto Areas in Illinois

MontyMX815
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MontyMX815
Edited Date/Time 11/9/2022 5:08am
Hey everyone,

Currently live out in Montana but there is a chance I could end up in Illinois in the near future (Near Chicago). What can I expect from the moto scene in that state?

Where are some of the best areas for the MX scene?

Mostly trails, mostly tracks, or what type of riding is most common?

Thanks!
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crowe660
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crowe660 10/31/2022 9:55am
10/31/2022 9:55am Edited Date/Time 10/31/2022 9:56am
Is motoland even running anymore? Last time I looked, it didn’t it didn’t have any dates. It looks like they have new owners though


Never mind. Looks like it’s going! Motoland is pretty awesome. Huge track.
dfr136 10/31/2022 10:01am
10/31/2022 10:01am
Byron Motosports Park
MC Motopark
Sunset Ridge
Joliet mx
Stadium racing at Mendota fairgrounds
Muddy waters mx
Megatrax-Indoor
Fox Valley off road
Rocky glenn off road
Atkinson motosports park
Lincoln trail
B-52 hangar mx- Indoor
south fork dirt riders
archview mx

Indiana
LTMX
Motoland

I live 30 miles from Chicago, theres always somewhere to ride, I know I'm missing some. Lots of places to ride here and district 17 is a pretty strong district. Theres multiple clubs that put on enduros and dual sports in Illinois and right over the border in Indiana. For good trail riding I drive up to Michigan for the weekend.

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moto162
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moto162 10/31/2022 10:10am
10/31/2022 10:10am
crowe660 wrote:
Is motoland even running anymore? Last time I looked, it didn’t it didn’t have any dates. It looks like they have new owners though Never mind...
Is motoland even running anymore? Last time I looked, it didn’t it didn’t have any dates. It looks like they have new owners though


Never mind. Looks like it’s going! Motoland is pretty awesome. Huge track.
Yeah there are open new owners to get over I forgot what track they run they run superior road thirode there 3 times so far in the last 2 months.

If you're moving just outside Chicago and the suburbs oops you're gonna have within a 2 hour drive depending on exactly where you're living gonna have a few tracks sunset ridge, Byron,Redbud, leisure time, Mendota, fox valley and joliet all within 1.5-2 hr drive. There's also about 6 other tracks within 3 hours of 3 hours of the suburbs depending on which Suburb ur in. Lincoln trail mx, Martin mx Mt Carmel off the top of my head.
1

The Shop

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downonmonday 10/31/2022 10:11am
10/31/2022 10:11am
dfr136 wrote:
Byron Motosports Park MC Motopark Sunset Ridge Joliet mx Stadium racing at Mendota fairgrounds Muddy waters mx Megatrax-Indoor Fox Valley off road Rocky glenn off road...
Byron Motosports Park
MC Motopark
Sunset Ridge
Joliet mx
Stadium racing at Mendota fairgrounds
Muddy waters mx
Megatrax-Indoor
Fox Valley off road
Rocky glenn off road
Atkinson motosports park
Lincoln trail
B-52 hangar mx- Indoor
south fork dirt riders
archview mx

Indiana
LTMX
Motoland

I live 30 miles from Chicago, theres always somewhere to ride, I know I'm missing some. Lots of places to ride here and district 17 is a pretty strong district. Theres multiple clubs that put on enduros and dual sports in Illinois and right over the border in Indiana. For good trail riding I drive up to Michigan for the weekend.

We are spoiled here in Illinois. I live in the middle of Byron, MC, and Sunset.
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dfr136 10/31/2022 10:27am
10/31/2022 10:27am
downonmonday wrote:
We are spoiled here in Illinois. I live in the middle of Byron, MC, and Sunset.
we are pretty lucky with the amount and quality of tracks, even losing some good ones over the years like Ki and us51.
3
downonmonday 10/31/2022 10:38am
10/31/2022 10:38am
downonmonday wrote:
We are spoiled here in Illinois. I live in the middle of Byron, MC, and Sunset.
dfr136 wrote:
we are pretty lucky with the amount and quality of tracks, even losing some good ones over the years like Ki and us51.
I miss Ki tracks. I rode there 2-3 a week. The only down fall to all this, winter. I rode Sunset's last open ride yesterday. I see MC having an open ride if weather stays ok, but everything else is closed.
2
davis224
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davis224 10/31/2022 1:42pm
10/31/2022 1:42pm
Northern Illinois is packed with great tracks. Southeastern Illinois has LTM, with a few smaller tracks scattered around central/southern Illinois. Plus, like others mentioned, not too far from Motoland and Red Bud.
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profeshenal125 10/31/2022 7:07pm
10/31/2022 7:07pm
Where ya moving to in Chicago Land? My brother in law says we went to Chicago last weekend. I say where. Waukegan haha that’s near Wi. Border and not exactly near the city. If your in northern iL. Aztalan in lake mills Wi. Isn’t too far. Denmark Wi. 130 mi from iL. Border on i94. I,m a member there 30 bucks to bring a guest. Wi. Rapids has a deep sand track with hills threw the woods, sx track that’s not sand it’s easy and a lot of great trail loops. That’s in the middle of the st but worth the drive for 2 days of riding. Aprox 102 mi from 80-94 Indiana to Wi. Border hvy traffic the whole way because of drizzle today
And construction.


2
1
Moto520
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Moto520 10/31/2022 7:56pm
10/31/2022 7:56pm
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are super spoiled and I love it. Winters are absolute hell…..holy jesus it’s ridiculous. We suffer but the tracks are good
2
Bruce372
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Bruce372 10/31/2022 8:42pm
10/31/2022 8:42pm
profeshenal125 wrote:
Where ya moving to in Chicago Land? My brother in law says we went to Chicago last weekend. I say where. Waukegan haha that’s near Wi...
Where ya moving to in Chicago Land? My brother in law says we went to Chicago last weekend. I say where. Waukegan haha that’s near Wi. Border and not exactly near the city. If your in northern iL. Aztalan in lake mills Wi. Isn’t too far. Denmark Wi. 130 mi from iL. Border on i94. I,m a member there 30 bucks to bring a guest. Wi. Rapids has a deep sand track with hills threw the woods, sx track that’s not sand it’s easy and a lot of great trail loops. That’s in the middle of the st but worth the drive for 2 days of riding. Aprox 102 mi from 80-94 Indiana to Wi. Border hvy traffic the whole way because of drizzle today
And construction.


Maybe your brother in law was talking about north Chicago which is essentially Waukegan?
profeshenal125 10/31/2022 9:25pm
10/31/2022 9:25pm
Moto520 wrote:
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are...
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are super spoiled and I love it. Winters are absolute hell…..holy jesus it’s ridiculous. We suffer but the tracks are good
The weather is unusually warm 68-70 now. Next week Wed it cools down a lot. I raced Byron in 98 a lot of jumps and trees. I got there on a wed rode everyday and raced the nuclear series race Sunday. Junior Jackson was doing a Mx school 1 of the days for the Garro brothers . I hv a van sitting in Romeoville they had us park in the weeds. I,ll be quitting this job b4 Jan. Hope there’s not much snow until then or I,ll hv to get towed out.

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1
profeshenal125 10/31/2022 9:38pm
10/31/2022 9:38pm
profeshenal125 wrote:
Where ya moving to in Chicago Land? My brother in law says we went to Chicago last weekend. I say where. Waukegan haha that’s near Wi...
Where ya moving to in Chicago Land? My brother in law says we went to Chicago last weekend. I say where. Waukegan haha that’s near Wi. Border and not exactly near the city. If your in northern iL. Aztalan in lake mills Wi. Isn’t too far. Denmark Wi. 130 mi from iL. Border on i94. I,m a member there 30 bucks to bring a guest. Wi. Rapids has a deep sand track with hills threw the woods, sx track that’s not sand it’s easy and a lot of great trail loops. That’s in the middle of the st but worth the drive for 2 days of riding. Aprox 102 mi from 80-94 Indiana to Wi. Border hvy traffic the whole way because of drizzle today
And construction.


Bruce372 wrote:
Maybe your brother in law was talking about north Chicago which is essentially Waukegan?
Not really that’s a suburb. 2 pics r Denmark in 39 rainy April. In Waukesha now grocery warehouse madness finally in a dock after 6 hrs. Check in told to leave and park in the exit driveway. At 8pm checking again then we can enter and park but there no parking for 150 trks coming in. Ld is from just n of Gettysburg, drove from nj to there. What bs I was supposed to b home 2-3 days ago. Should b done here at 7am
2
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wardy
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wardy 11/1/2022 1:28am
11/1/2022 1:28am
Moto520 wrote:
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are...
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are super spoiled and I love it. Winters are absolute hell…..holy jesus it’s ridiculous. We suffer but the tracks are good
OH you suffer so bad in the winter. sheeeeeesh it's getting deep in here. HA! ya ya ya i know not "deep" enough.

Tongue
Sachmo831
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Sachmo831 11/1/2022 3:15am
11/1/2022 3:15am
moto162 wrote:
Yeah there are open new owners to get over I forgot what track they run they run superior road thirode there 3 times so far in...
Yeah there are open new owners to get over I forgot what track they run they run superior road thirode there 3 times so far in the last 2 months.

If you're moving just outside Chicago and the suburbs oops you're gonna have within a 2 hour drive depending on exactly where you're living gonna have a few tracks sunset ridge, Byron,Redbud, leisure time, Mendota, fox valley and joliet all within 1.5-2 hr drive. There's also about 6 other tracks within 3 hours of 3 hours of the suburbs depending on which Suburb ur in. Lincoln trail mx, Martin mx Mt Carmel off the top of my head.
Motoland is now owned by the same guy that runs wildcat creek in Rossville, IN. I heard that racing may be coming to the track, rather than just open practice days. I'm not sure where or who I heard that from, but I'm all for it. It is easily one of the best facilities in the area.
1
davis224
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davis224 11/1/2022 3:45am
11/1/2022 3:45am
Moto520 wrote:
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are...
Illinois is really lush with tracks. I’ll bet that there are more tracks within a 4 hour radius than anyplace else in the country. We are super spoiled and I love it. Winters are absolute hell…..holy jesus it’s ridiculous. We suffer but the tracks are good
I think LTM had prepped practice every month in the past year, it warmed up enough for at least a day or two to make it happen. They actually had to announce they were taking a few weeks off at some point in the winter because it was warm enough. I remember thinking I was lucky to ride 1 or 2 times in November back in the mid 2000s.
Munson'd
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Munson'd 11/1/2022 4:58am
11/1/2022 4:58am
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
1
Cademx14
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Cademx14 11/1/2022 5:58am
11/1/2022 5:58am
Lincoln Trail is an awesome facility ran by awesome people, multiple tracks. Open a lot of the time for practice and is the home of the Largest series in the AMA. We live in Mississippi and travel there multiple times a year to race, big gates and fast riders
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Pit Row

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R VanKamp77
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R VanKamp77 11/1/2022 6:01am
11/1/2022 6:01am
Goldmine thread, thanks everyone.

If you're talking indiana mx, cannot leave out FMX paradise. Great track, great people, great environment.
2
Layton
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Layton 11/1/2022 6:24am
11/1/2022 6:24am
Munson'd wrote:
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
It’s still there and still open.
1
TooTallJason
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TooTallJason 11/1/2022 7:01am
11/1/2022 7:01am
A friend of mine has been operating his own facility about an hour Southeast of LTM called Big River. It seems like he's kinda open sporadically, but he's been putting in a ton of work, and it looks like a blast to ride. Apparently he's got two tracks and big off-road loop.

Big River Off-Road
MX Culture
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MX Culture 11/1/2022 7:08am
11/1/2022 7:08am
Munson'd wrote:
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
Layton wrote:
It’s still there and still open.
Wrong, it is closed and sold.
Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it.
One of my favorite places to ride of all time, but I'm not sure how it will be after sitting for about 20 years.
Great news for the Ottawa/Peru area.
downonmonday 11/1/2022 8:18am
11/1/2022 8:18am
Munson'd wrote:
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
Layton wrote:
It’s still there and still open.
MX Culture wrote:
Wrong, it is closed and sold. Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it. One of my...
Wrong, it is closed and sold.
Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it.
One of my favorite places to ride of all time, but I'm not sure how it will be after sitting for about 20 years.
Great news for the Ottawa/Peru area.
He did? Like this week? They have open ride and just did a race.
downonmonday 11/1/2022 8:20am
11/1/2022 8:20am
Also, if you are feeling like mega ride weekend, I do a Meadow Valley Friday ride then Millville on the Saturday. A little bit of a drive but not bad.
2
Moto520
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Moto520 11/1/2022 8:21am
11/1/2022 8:21am
R VanKamp77 wrote:
Goldmine thread, thanks everyone.

If you're talking indiana mx, cannot leave out FMX paradise. Great track, great people, great environment.
and......it's 10 minutes from another sand track.
Mick 22
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Mick 22 11/1/2022 8:30am
11/1/2022 8:30am
Sandy Oaks MX on the banks of the Mississippi was/is/? the toughest track I have ever been on. Probably is presently a parking lot?
vdrsnk04
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vdrsnk04 11/1/2022 8:36am
11/1/2022 8:36am
Mick 22 wrote:
Sandy Oaks MX on the banks of the Mississippi was/is/? the toughest track I have ever been on. Probably is presently a parking lot?
Nope, it’s a blast to ride. Us locals ride it almost all the way through most winters. The sand just doesn’t freeze like dirt.
3
wardy
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wardy 11/1/2022 8:38am
11/1/2022 8:38am
Munson'd wrote:
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
Layton wrote:
It’s still there and still open.
MX Culture wrote:
Wrong, it is closed and sold. Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it. One of my...
Wrong, it is closed and sold.
Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it.
One of my favorite places to ride of all time, but I'm not sure how it will be after sitting for about 20 years.
Great news for the Ottawa/Peru area.
whoa not so fast there DD.

those rumors are abundant.

We will be at FVOR 1.0 next year. Smile
2
profeshenal125 11/1/2022 8:57am
11/1/2022 8:57am
downonmonday wrote:
Also, if you are feeling like mega ride weekend, I do a Meadow Valley Friday ride then Millville on the Saturday. A little bit of a...
Also, if you are feeling like mega ride weekend, I do a Meadow Valley Friday ride then Millville on the Saturday. A little bit of a drive but not bad.
That’s quite a haul if I where to do the Millville super series. I would move to the area. A lot of Chicago folks own land in Wi. Denmark is only 200 for unlimited riding. It’s off i43 just s of gb. As predicted unloaded at 07.20 horrible place. Tried to sleep 3 hrs idiots keep slamming trls and reving yard trks engines and beeping the horn. Oh what a life
1
freeh
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freeh 11/1/2022 9:22am
11/1/2022 9:22am
Munson'd wrote:
What’s the verdict on Fox Valley Off Road?
Layton wrote:
It’s still there and still open.
MX Culture wrote:
Wrong, it is closed and sold. Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it. One of my...
Wrong, it is closed and sold.
Wardy sold that and got Buffalo Range back in exchange. He made a fb post about it.
One of my favorite places to ride of all time, but I'm not sure how it will be after sitting for about 20 years.
Great news for the Ottawa/Peru area.
Buffalo Range is opening up again? I loved that facility when I lived in WI. Sunset is a better track, but BR has more unique riding options within the facility. That sandpit track was something else!
1

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