# 17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.260: Section 4000.260 Trails

> Illinois · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_260

## Section

- **Citation:** 17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.260
- **Heading:** Section 4000.260 Trails
- **Jurisdiction:** Illinois
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Illinois Administrative Code / Title 17 CONSERVATION / CHAPTER V: NATURE PRESERVES COMMISSION / Part 4000 MANAGEMENT OF NATURE PRESERVES / Section 4000.260 Trails

## Text

Section 4000
Section 4000.260  Trails
a)         The establishment or rehabilitation of trails in a nature
preserve may be proposed in writing to the Commission with the prior approval
of the landowner.  Trails shall conform to the objectives of the nature
preserve as stated in the master plan or management schedule.  Trails shall be
laid out so as to affect only part of the preserve and shall have minimal
impact on natural features.  Trails should have no adverse impact on endangered
or threatened species or fragile or limited natural communities or features,
pursuant to Section 11 of the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act (Ill.
Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 8, par. 341 [520 ILCS 10/11].
b)         The design and routing of any trails other than natural
wildlife paths shall be specified in the master plan or management schedule.
Trails shall be adequate to provide for permitted use of a preserve and to
prevent erosion, trampling of vegetation, and other deterioration, but
otherwise shall be kept to a minimum.  Use of paving materials, footbridges,
and elevated walks is permissible when provided for in the master plan or
management schedule. Synthetic materials, painted or chemically treated wood,
or stone or earth materials from outside the preserve may be used in trail
construction only as provided in the master plan or management schedule.
c)         Trail construction shall not threaten the continued existence
of any population of a native plant or animal species in a nature preserve. No
plant species listed as endangered or threatened pursuant to Ill. Rev. Stat.
1991, ch. 8, par. 337 [520 ILCS 10/7] or designated in the master plan as a
species of management concern shall be removed, damaged, or cut in trail
construction or maintenance
Trail construction shall not threaten the continued existence
of any population of a native plant or animal species in a nature preserve. No
plant species listed as endangered or threatened pursuant to Ill. Rev. Stat.
1991, ch. 8, par. 337 [520 ILCS 10/7] or designated in the master plan as a
species of management concern shall be removed, damaged, or cut in trail
construction or maintenance.
d)         Any proposal for trail development or rehabilitation should
address the suitability of the site for providing handicapped accessibility,
considering factors such as the type of natural communities, soils, slope,
topography hydrology, size of the nature preserve, and any threatened and
endangered species habitat.  Providing access to disabled persons is
encouraged; however, public access is not a requirement of nature preserve
dedication and is secondary to protection of the nature preserve.  Consistent
with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, P.L. 101-336, modifications to
provide handicapped accessible trails are not required if such construction
would harm the features for which the preserve was dedicated or where
conditions such as steep slopes or saturated soils make it infeasible to meet
regulations.

## Nearby sections

- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.210 Section 4000.210  Boundary Markers and Signs](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_210.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.220 Section 4000.220  Boundary Fences](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_220.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.230 Section 4000.230  Location Markers (Repealed)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_230.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.240 Section 4000.240  Access Lanes](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_240.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.250 Section 4000.250  Firebreaks](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_250.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.260 Section 4000.260  Trails](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_260.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.270 Section 4000.270  Other Structures and Improvements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_270.md)
- [17 Ill. Adm. Code 4000.280 Section 4000.280  Buffer Areas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_280.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_IL_IAC_T17_P4000_S4000_260. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.