AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve

Cross Trail–Old Stockyards Trail, 5 sights

10.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 3 hr 32 min

Cross Trail–Old Stockyards Trail, 5 sights is a 10.5-mile out-and-back in West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve near Surrey Woods, IL. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi745 – 801 ft11.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.91361, -88.27715
Nearest town Surrey Woods, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cross Trail–Old Stockyards Trail, 5 sights

10.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 3 hr 32 min

Elevation 746–802 ft

Out & Back · West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.91361, -88.27715

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 1.4 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Geneva Spur, heading E.
  3. 2.8 miTurn right onto Gentian Trail, heading E.
  4. 0.1 miContinue straight onto West Loop Trail, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right onto Truitt Trail, heading S.
  6. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Cross Trail, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Savanna Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right onto Old Stockyards Trail, heading NE.
  9. 0.4 miReach West Loop Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.4 miTurn left onto Savanna Trail, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Cross Trail, heading NW.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Truitt Trail, heading NW.
  13. 0.3 miTurn left onto West Loop Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Gentian Trail, heading W.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Geneva Spur, heading SW.
  16. 1.4 miBear left, heading W.
  17. 1.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 1.2 miArrive 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/cross-trail-old-stockyards-trail-out-back-5-sights-17-km-965b

Trail surface

47% paved31% gravel22% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 6:04 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Surrey Woods, Illinois