Another Great Local Drive in McHenry County, Illinois

Driving through Lake and McHenry counties on US-12 on your way to Lake Geneva or the Wisconsin Dells, here's another great side trip. You can even reverse the trip I described on October 25th and 27th and November 1st and return to US-12.

START at US-12 and Spring Grove Road at the traffic light (one farther west than the Johnsburg/Wilmot Road light). Go south, left.

You'll go up a steep hill and pass a quarry on your left near the top. There are lots of quarries in the area.

McHenry is a major agricultural area and you'll be passing fields and farms as well as the subdivisions that are growing up so fast these days.

After 2 and a half miles, you'll be at Ringwood Road. Continue past it into Johnsburg. Another 1.6 miles and you'll be at Johnsburg Road. For such a small town, Johnsburg Road is one of the busiest in McHenry County.

Turn right onto it, and take it a half mile to Riverside Drive and turn left. On this you'll pass lots of trees, farms, and subdivisions and enter the town of McHenry with its 24,000 population.

There is a beautiful old Victorian farmhouse at McCullom Lake Road. If you turn right here, it will take you out to all the shopping on Il-31.

Continue straight on Riverside to downtown McHenry. Looking to your left, you can see the Fox River between the homes. Another great river view at Broad Street where you'll find Weber Park.

There is the Town Club bar which dates to the 1850s and has tables for ladies. To the left is a bridge over the Fox River and the Water Tower Marina across it, so named for the old water tower located on its property. Across from it is Vickie's, a popular Chain of Lakes stop with dining along the river.

Continue to Il-120, where there is another bridge over the river to your left. You will have driven 7.2 miles at this point. There is an old 1880s hotel, now apartments and the popular Fox Hole Pizza in the building. Across the street is the Windhill Pancake Parlor, home to some of the best and most unique omelets around.

Cross the river and go to Joey T's on the River Walk Very impressive grounds and Italian food. A beautiful walkway connects the condos and this side of the channel at this place.

Your total mileage at his point is 7.3 miles.

Again, Lots of Scenery and History in a Short Distance. --RoadDog