Des Plaines Lake & Gowe Memorial Pond via Des Plaines River Trail
8.8 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 2 hr 58 min
Des Plaines Lake & Gowe Memorial Pond via Des Plaines River Trail is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve near Dillys Corners, IL. The route passes Gowe Memorial Pond before reaching Des Plaines Lake at the turnaround, 4.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 55 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Des Plaines Lake & Gowe Memorial Pond via Des Plaines River Trail
8.8 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 2 hr 58 min
Elevation 653–720 ft
Out & Back · Sedge Meadow Forest Preserve
Trailhead: Washington Street Bike Path · 42.36402, -87.93386
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Bikes allowed on the whole route · Transit-accessible: County Fair stop 295 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Washington Street Bike Path, heading E.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.6 miPass Gowe Memorial Pond.
- 3.3 miPass Des Plaines Lake.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftReach Des Plaines Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 4.1 miContinue straight onto Washington Street Bike Path, heading SW.
- 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:11 PM — 10 min before dark.
Good to know
- Bikes allowed on the whole route
- Transit-accessible: County Fair stop 295 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Washington Street Bike Path Trailhead
- North Cemetery Road Bike Path via Washington Street Bike Path 3.9 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Washington Street Bike Path 2.2 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Washington Street Bike Path 1.9 mi · ▲ 54 ft
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