Chicago is home to one of the most incredible bike paths in the world. Stretching 18.5 miles from north to south, it hugs the shoreline of Lake Michigan, offering stunning views along the way. As you ride south, you’ll pass the Museum of Science and Industry, the South Shore Country Club, and eventually reach the South Shore Cultural Center, where the lakefront path narrows. If you continue along the route where Lake Shore Drive transitions, you’ll discover Rainbow Beach, a beloved South Side destination.

Further along, you’ll encounter a relic of Chicago’s industrial past—Steelworkers Park. Spanning 16.56 acres, this park is nestled in the South Chicago community and offers a peaceful retreat into nature. It features walking paths, plenty of greenery, and even a rock-climbing wall built on the historic ore walls of the former steel industry.

In 2002, the Chicago Park District acquired this site, once part of the US Steel Complex known as South Works, and transformed it into a beautiful natural landscape with sweeping views of Lake Michigan. The park is surrounded by remnants of the steel industry, including towering concrete ore walls. Located at the intersection of the Calumet River and Lake Michigan, South Works opened in the 1880s and quickly became an industrial hub due to its proximity to waterways and railroads.

Immigrant communities, including Swedish, Scottish, German, Italian, Polish, Mexican, and African-American families, settled in the area, drawn by the booming steel industry. At its height, South Works employed over 20,000 workers across 600 acres, much of it built on landfill from molten slag. However, as the steel industry declined, the mill downsized in the 1970s and eventually closed in 1992. Today, the park represents a key step in the city’s ambitious redevelopment plans for the area.

Officially named Steelworkers Park in 2014, it’s a unique blend of Chicago’s industrial history and nature, offering an unforgettable experience for those who venture south. It’s worth the ride.

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