MCT Explore the Loops

Whether you're walking, running, or cycling, there is a trail route for you! Explore the below MCT Trail routes to find one that interests you. From history walks to trail art rides, these routes will serve as a guide for you to plan your ideal MCT Trails visit!

Heritage Trail History Run

Distance: 8.34 miles, out and back
Estimated Time: 1 hour & 45 minute
Parking: MCT Glen Carbon Park & Ride
Trail: MCT Nickel Plate Trail and MCT Ronald J. Foster Heritage Trail
Feature: Visitors can delve into the fascinating era of coal mining and railroad transportation through interpretive panels along the trails, a collaborative project with the Glen Carbon Heritage Museum.
MCT Interpretive Panels

Pollinator Pathway Walk

Distance: 1.4 miles, out and back
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Parking: Emerson Ave. or Franklin Ave.
Trail: MCT Monarch Valley Trail
Feature: A specially designed corridor of plants that provide food, shelter, and a safe passage for pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
MCT Pollinator Pathway

Critter Ride

Distance: 29.54 miles, looped
Estimated Time: 3 hours
Parking: Mont Junction
Trails: MCT Goshen Trail, MCT Schoolhouse Trail, MCT Nature Trail, MCT Nickel Plate Trail, MCT Heritage Trail
Feature: Visit Jarvis, Mary, Radish, and Cole, colorful, large-scale "Trail Critter" sculptures crafted from durable 10-gauge steel, created by the talented artist Jeffie Brewer.
MCT Critters

Prairieland Path

Distance: 17.69 miles, out and back
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Parking: Mont Junction
Trail: MCT Ronald J. Foster Heritage Trail
Feature: A quiet trip through wooded areas to farming fields, this rural ride allows you to see the farming towns of Madison County.
MCT Beautification Project

River Route Ride

Distance: 15.01 miles, out and back
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Parking: Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower
Trail: MCT Confluence Trail
Feature: Take in spectacular views of the Mighty Mississippi as you roll by the Melvin Price Lock & Dam, the Clark Bridge, the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower and more!
MCT ConfluenceTrail

Explore the loops

Located on former railroad rights-of-way, the MCT Trails form a series of interconnecting loops that allow trailgoers to run, roll, or jog seamlessly from one trail to another without seeing the same scenery twice. Seven loops of varying distances (10 miles, 15.3 miles, 17.6 miles, 22.9 miles, 25.7 miles, 26.1 miles, 31.1. miles) make the MCT Trails system unique.

MCT Explore the Loops