AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Des Plaines River Trail

9 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 3 hr 2 min

Des Plaines River Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Mettawa, IL. It is mostly level, with 81 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 722 ft10.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.22776, -87.94859
Nearest town Mettawa, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Des Plaines River Trail

9 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 3 hr 2 min

Elevation 641–722 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.22776, -87.94859

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

Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & CDW Way stop 597 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading E.
  3. 0.6 miSharp left, heading S.
  4. 250 ftBear left, heading S.
  5. 400 ftSharp right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  8. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  10. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  12. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  13. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  16. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  17. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  19. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  20. 200 ftTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading E.
  21. 3.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  22. 3.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  23. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  24. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  25. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  26. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  27. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  30. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  31. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  32. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  33. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  34. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  35. 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
  36. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  37. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  38. 400 ftBear right, heading S.
  39. 250 ftSharp right, heading S.
  40. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading E.
  41. 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-14-km-6aef

Trail surface

69% gravel8% paved23% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~93 min). Leave by 5:00 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & CDW Way stop 597 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mettawa, Illinois