Chicago Portage National Historic Site

Cermak Quarry & Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail

3 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr

Cermak Quarry & Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail is a 3-mile out-and-back in Chicago Portage National Historic Site near Forest View, IL. The route reaches Cermak Quarry at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi587 – 607 ft3.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.80516, -87.80264
Nearest town Forest View, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cermak Quarry & Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail

3 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr

Elevation 586–608 ft

Out & Back · Chicago Portage National Historic Site

Trailhead: 41.80516, -87.80264

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Transit-accessible: 4800 S Harlem Ave stop 167 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftTurn left onto Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail, heading W.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right onto Salt Creek Greenway Black Unpaved Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left onto Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail, heading N.
  6. 0.9 miTurn left, heading N.
  7. 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  8. 350 ftReach Cermak Quarry, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 350 ftSharp left, heading S.
  10. 1 miTurn right, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miSharp left onto Salt Creek Greenway Black Unpaved Trail, heading E.
  12. 0.1 miTurn left onto Salt Creek Greenway Black Paved Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 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 surface

74% paved8% gravel18% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:38 AMSunset 6:52 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 6:20 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:18 PM — 2 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 4800 S Harlem Ave stop 167 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead