AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Blue Trail & Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail

10.5 mi · ▲ 56 ft · 3 hr 32 min

Blue Trail & Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail is a 10.5-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Melody, IL. It is mostly level, with 56 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi640 – 719 ft11.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.24615, -87.90564
Nearest town Melody, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Blue Trail & Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail

10.5 mi · ▲ 56 ft · 3 hr 32 min

Elevation 639–720 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.24615, -87.90564

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  7. 450 ftTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading NW.
  8. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  10. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  12. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  13. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  14. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  16. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  17. 0.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  19. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  21. 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
  22. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  25. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading SE.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left onto Blue Trail, heading SE.
  27. 0.4 miBear left onto Red Trail, heading S.
  28. 250 ftTurn right onto Blue Trail, heading S.
  29. 0.1 miTurn left onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  30. 0.3 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading N.
  31. 3.9 miTurn right, heading NE.
  32. 1.8 miTurn right, heading S.
  33. 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/blue-trail-yellow-trail-out-back-17-km

Trail surface

56% gravel1% boardwalk43% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.3 mi in (~32 min). Leave by 6:00 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Melody, Illinois