AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve

Eagle Lake & Minear Lake Beach via Middlefork Greenway

13.3 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 4 hr 28 min

Eagle Lake & Minear Lake Beach via Middlefork Greenway is a 13.3-mile out-and-back in Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve near Libertyville, IL. The route passes Minear Lake Beach before reaching Eagle Lake at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. 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 mi646 – 715 ft14.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.28833, -87.93774
Nearest town Libertyville, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Eagle Lake & Minear Lake Beach via Middlefork Greenway

13.3 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 4 hr 28 min

Elevation 646–714 ft

Out & Back · Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.28833, -87.93774

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 61°F / low 56° · precip 7% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Minear Lake Beach.
  3. 0.1 miBear right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading S.
  4. 0.5 miSharp left onto North Shore Bike Path, heading E.
  5. 2.4 miSharp right onto Middlefork Greenway, heading E.
  6. 1.8 miTurn right, heading S.
  7. 1.6 miPass Eagle Lake.
  8. 0.4 miReach Eagle Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 2 miSharp right, heading SW.
  10. 1.8 miSharp left onto North Shore Bike Path, heading E.
  11. 2.4 miSharp right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading W.
  12. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  13. 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/eagle-lake-minear-lake-beach-out-back-3-beaches-21-km

Trail surface

73% gravel16% paved11% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 61°F56°
Precip7%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity87%
Rained 2.2″ 2 days ago (2.7″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:40 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:51 PM
Wed 62°57°
Thu 66°59°
Fri 66°60°
Sat 62°60°
Sun 60°57°
Mon 68°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.5 mi in (~39 min). Leave by 5:52 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:43 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Libertyville, Illinois