Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Catfish Pond–Horsetail Pond, 3 lakes
13.5 mi · ▲ 64 ft · 4 hr 32 min
Catfish Pond–Horsetail Pond, 3 lakes is a 13.5-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Prince Crossing, IL. The route passes Catfish Pond and Horsetail Pond before reaching Beaver Slough at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 64 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Catfish Pond–Horsetail Pond, 3 lakes
13.5 mi · ▲ 64 ft · 4 hr 32 min
Elevation 734–807 ft
Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Trailhead: 41.90459, -88.19234
Weather Sep 20: Heavy rain, high 69°F / low 61° · precip 100% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:55 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
- 5.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto West Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miPass Horsetail Pond.
- 50 ftPass Beaver Slough.
- 350 ftReach Catfish Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading W.
- 450 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SW.
- 5.9 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 2.7 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 5:28 PM for the 6:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 5.9 mi · ▲ 37 ft
- Great Western Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 26 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Prince Crossing, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Prince Crossing, Illinois