For the most part the trail is paved however the last segment north of Ringwood has a limestone screening. At the northern end of the trail a sign directs you to the left where a very short dirt trail takes you out onto a road named Southeastern Court in Genoa City. It is only a couple of blocks to the downtown area. Take a right on Grove Avenue and a left onto Main Street.
The Prairie Trail has a short on-road section between Route 176 and Veteran's Acres Park in Crystal Lake. There is also a short sidewalk section in McHenry. See the trail map for details on these sections. Note that north of Veteran's Acres Park the trail has a short section of steep hills and sharp curves.
The McHenry County Conservation District has built a 2 mile trail which connects the Prairie Trail to the Hebron Trail. The connection to the Prairie Trail is one third of a mile south of the end of the trail at Genoa City. There is a small parking lot (no facilities last time I as there) towards the west end of the new trail on Keystone Road just north of Burgett Road.