Community event marks the end of successful “Big Hill, Big Future” campaign that fundraised $1.1 Million to bring the bike trail project to completion
Chicago, IL- The Chicago Park District and Friends of Big Marsh will join Southeast Side residents and bike enthusiasts to break ground on Big Marsh Park’s ‘Big Hill,’ a set of mountain bike trails located on the southern edge of the Southeast Side Park. Once completed the Big Hill is expected to become a regional destination, welcoming beginners and experts alike to develop their bike skills, and engage in active eco-recreation in one of the Chicago Park District’s largest outdoor recreational spaces in the Southeast Side.
The groundbreaking ceremony, taking place on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 12 p.m. (noon) at Big Marsh Park, located at 11559 S. Stony Island, will also be a celebratory event for all of the trail supporters that donated and contributed to $1.1 million to the ‘Big Hill, Big Future’ fundraising campaign. The Big Hill is a central feature of the original 50-acre bike trail plan for Big Marsh Park. The trail is expected to open in mid-Spring of 2026.
A Framework Plan for the park, completed in 2014, included one-of-a-kind design for the bike park featuring 2 jump lines, a dirt pump track, and a beginner-friendly singletrack. The Chicago Park District opened Big Marsh Park on the footprint of waste and slag dumping from surrounding industrial operations in 2016 after extensive environmental remediation that transformed the industrial site into a 297-acre nature oasis with opportunities for urban eco-reaction, including hiking, adventure courses, and off-road biking. In 2021, the Ford Calumet Environmental Center opened its doors to the public and provided an anchor for the expanding Southeast Side Park system, while connecting the public to the region’s natural areas and park amenities, including the world-class bike park. Construction of the "Big Hill" is the final project identified in the Park’s original Plan.
Recently, the Chicago Park District and Friends of Big Marsh, a non-profit partner that offers onsite public cycling programs and bike park maintenance, collaborated to fundraise for the construction of the region’s largest all-weather asphalt pump tracks and accessible walking trails throughout the park. This partnership has led to engagement opportunities to promote eco-recreation in Chicago’s Southeast Side to youth, families, schools, and therapeutic organizations.
This nationally recognized park is an urban oasis for nature lovers, bird watchers, cyclists, skaters, students, and families. The completion of the “Big Hill” project will cement the park’s reputation as the lead provider of outdoor active and passive recreation in Chicago’s Southeast Side.