AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Maxwell Park

Birky Pond & Constitution Trail Collegiate Branch

5.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Birky Pond & Constitution Trail Collegiate Branch is a 5.4-mile out-and-back in Maxwell Park near Cardinal Court, IL. The route reaches Birky Pond at the turnaround, 2.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi781 – 837 ft6.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.51150, -89.02771
Nearest town Cardinal Court, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Birky Pond & Constitution Trail Collegiate Branch

5.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Elevation 780–836 ft

Out & Back · Maxwell Park

Trailhead: 40.51150, -89.02771

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:42 AM · sunset 6:58 PM

Transit-accessible: Parkside & College stop 611 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  5. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  9. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  10. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  11. 0.9 miTurn left, heading E.
  12. 400 ftContinue straight onto Constitution Trail Collegiate Branch, heading E.
  13. 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  14. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  15. 300 ftReach Birky Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 1.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  18. 0.9 miTurn left, heading W.
  19. 0.4 miSharp left, heading W.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  22. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  24. 450 ftBear right, heading W.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  26. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/birky-pond-birky-pond-out-back-3-lakes-9-km-705f

Trail surface

77% paved19% grass4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:42 AMSunset 6:58 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 6:58 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:30 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Parkside & College stop 611 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Cardinal Court, Illinois