Matteson

A trip to Matteson can focus on different things: the Old Plank Road Trail, the Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve, train watching and local history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Matteson, distinguishing between these themes can help you decide what you’d like to shape your stay.

The Old Plank Road Trail

The Old Plank Road Trail is a 22-mile paved rail trail. It connects Matteson with Joliet, New Lenox, Frankfort, Richton Park, Park Forest and Chicago Heights. The length describes the trail as a whole; the connected towns show its regional reach. If cycling is your focus, Matteson can be viewed as part of a trail experience that connects several places. The surface, route and connections between towns each offer a different way to understand the trail.

The Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve

The Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve is located 0.5 miles south of IL Route 30 on Central Avenue in Matteson. Public access to the preserve is limited to the Plank Road Trail, a publicly operated, regional paved trail. For your visit, location and access are two separate points of reference: Central Avenue and the location south of IL Route 30 tell you where the preserve is, while the trail defines the limits of public access.

The trail and the preserve should not be viewed simply as two similar offerings: the trail is a cycling route that connects several places, while public access to the preserve is limited to this route. For trip planning, these answer two different questions: Which regional trail connects Matteson, and under what access rules is the preserve open to the public?

During the original Illinois Natural Areas Inventory in the late 1970s, Old Plank Road Prairie was one of the best examples of black-soil prairie in all of Illinois. This historical assessment refers to the time of the inventory. Sixty-two native species have been identified in the Old Plank Road Prairie Nature Preserve. The two statements offer different perspectives: the first places the prairie in the context of comparisons across Illinois at the time, while the second gives a specific count of species identified in the preserve. Together, they bring a historical assessment and a concrete species survey into view.

Watch trains

Dozens of north–south trains cross the Old Plank Road Trail in Matteson. The platform at the Matteson METRA station is also a good place to watch trains. These are two different viewing spots: trains crossing the trail and the platform as a separate location. If you’re interested in trains, this topic adds a specific rail connection in Matteson to the trail and natural history.

Local history

The Matteson Historical Society & Museum’s collection focuses on early life in Matteson and on German immigrant families. These themes give local history a specific focus: the centerpieces are early life in the area and German immigrant families. For travelers interested in local history, this cultural perspective differs from the preserve’s natural history or watching trains along the trail. This adds another way to explore Matteson alongside cycling and prairie.

Discover more destinations: Skokie, Northbrook, Bartlett, Cicero, Des Plaines, Northlake, Arlington Heights, Chicago.

For the broader travel overview: Cook.