MCT Nickel Plate Trail

The Nickelbye Plate Trail branches off of the MCT Nature Trail just north of Pontoon Beach and parallels the Nature Trail until it crosses under       I-270 and continues on along IL 162.

The Nickel Plate trail  crosses an abandoned railroad right-of-way to parallel IL 162

The trail continues along IL 162 and crosses under IL 157, past a new intermodal facility, then continues on to Glen Carbon, where it intersects with the MCT Heritage Trail.

The trail then crosses Main Street in Glen Carbon near the covered bridge.

A trail in Miner Park runs from the trail to rest rooms and shelters to provide a nice break.

The trail converges with the Goshen Trail and the Nature Trail and then splits off to a gravel trail just before Plum St.

The trail passes a gravel parking lot at Troy Rd. then dead ends at a concrete barrier. It is necessary to leave the trail for Longfellow Ave. to cross Troy Rd to continue on the trail.

The gravel section of the trail then continues through Edwardsville, intersecting with the Quercus Grove trail and continuing on out of town.

You then continue on through farm fields and prairie land, though the trail is mostly tree-lined.

The trail ends at Fruit Rd., which is a connector to the west with the Quercus Grove trail.