Des Plaines River Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Des Plaines River Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back near Prairie View, IL. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Des Plaines River Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Elevation 639–706 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 42.21906, -87.95878
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Transit-accessible: Vernon Hills stop 628 m from the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading E.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Yellow Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading W.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~11 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:19 PM — 2 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Vernon Hills stop 628 m from the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Des Plaines River Trail 10.7 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Des Plaines River Trail 10.7 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Des Plaines River Trail 9.2 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Des Plaines River Trail 9.2 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Des Plaines River Trail 5.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Des Plaines River Trail 4.7 mi · ▲ 53 ft
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