Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve
Birch?–Prairie Wolf Slough, 4 sights
5.2 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Birch?–Prairie Wolf Slough, 4 sights is a 5.2-mile out-and-back in Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve near Bannockburn, IL. The route passes Prairie Wolf Slough and Birch?. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Birch?–Prairie Wolf Slough, 4 sights
5.2 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Elevation 654–695 ft
Out & Back · Walter E. Heller Nature Preserve
Trailhead: 42.20003, -87.87725
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:52 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.3 miPass Prairie Wolf Slough.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Blue trails, heading E.
- 0.4 miPass Birch?.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Green trails, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Gold trails, heading NW.
- 0.3 miReach Birch?, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Green trails, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Blue trails, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Buffalo Grove-Lincolnshire Bike Path, heading SE.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 5:32 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Potawatomi Woods–Indian Creek, 3 groves 12.6 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Prairie Wolf Slough 2.8 mi · ▲ 26 ft
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Hikes near Bannockburn, Illinois