AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Des Plaines River Trail

8.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 2 hr 52 min

Des Plaines River Trail is an 8.5-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Oak Grove, IL. It is mostly level, with 80 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi640 – 722 ft9.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.26635, -87.92494
Nearest town Oak Grove, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Des Plaines River Trail

8.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 2 hr 52 min

Elevation 639–722 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.26635, -87.92494

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Transit-accessible: 145 N Milwaukee Ave stop 74 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 150 ftTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading SE.
  3. 2.9 miTurn right, heading W.
  4. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  7. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  9. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  11. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  14. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  16. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  17. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  19. 500 ftTurn left, heading E.
  20. 0.6 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  25. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  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 N.
  33. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  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. 3 miTurn left, heading N.
  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-13-km-bc1e

Trail surface

74% gravel1% boardwalk25% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:19 PM — 2 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 145 N Milwaukee Ave stop 74 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Oak Grove, Illinois