AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Des Plaines River Trail

7.9 mi · ▲ 106 ft · 2 hr 41 min

Des Plaines River Trail is a 7.9-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Mettawa, IL. It is mostly level, with 106 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi640 – 696 ft9.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.26196, -87.92476
Nearest town Mettawa, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Des Plaines River Trail

7.9 mi · ▲ 106 ft · 2 hr 41 min

Elevation 639–696 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.26196, -87.92476

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Transit-accessible: 145 N Milwaukee Ave stop 74 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading SE.
  3. 2.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
  4. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  8. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  11. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.1 miSharp right, heading W.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  14. 500 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  16. 250 ftBear left, heading W.
  17. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  19. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  20. 0.6 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  26. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  28. 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
  29. 0.2 miSharp left, heading W.
  30. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  34. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  35. 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  36. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  37. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  38. 2.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  39. 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/des-plaines-river-trail-out-back-10-km-e5fd

Trail surface

66% gravel1% boardwalk33% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:38 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:16 PM — 6 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 145 N Milwaukee Ave stop 74 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mettawa, Illinois