The Nickel Plate Trail is a 10-mile trail that is asphalt from the Glen Carbon Heritage Trail at Main St. in Glen Carbon north to the Nature Trail at Route 159 in Edwardsville. The Nickel Plate Trail connects to Robert Stille Township Park in Edwardsville. A crushed limestone trail continues past 159 northeast to Fruit Rd. in rural Edwardsville.

Parking is available in Edwardsville at Longfellow Rd. and Illinois Highway 159 adjacent to the Lewis & Clark Community College N.O Nelson campus, and at Longfellow Rd. and Nelson Ave., and in Glen Carbon at Main St. behind the baseball field.