Lincoln Highway

Byway Details

Designation

National Scenic Byway

Length

177 mi in Illinois

About Lincoln Highway

Lincoln Highway is a 176.6-mile National Scenic Byway across northern Illinois, also designated an Illinois State Scenic Byway. The route links a long string of communities, from Fulton, Morrison, Sterling and Rock Falls in the west through Dixon, Franklin Grove, Rochelle and DeKalb, then on to Geneva, Batavia, Aurora, Plainfield, Joliet, New Lenox, Frankfort and Chicago Heights toward the east. With so many towns along the way, the drive breaks easily into shorter segments, and Dixon sits roughly in the middle of the route's western half. Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable time to go: typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dixon show highs around 71°F in May and 75°F in September, while January highs average about 29°F. Several outdoor stops sit right along the byway. Rock River Trail is about a tenth of a mile away, Sterling Sinnissippi Park offers climbing within half a mile, and the Morrison-Rockwood Trail and Kyte River paddling route are each about a mile from the road.