Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Fox River Trail & West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

9.3 mi · ▲ 137 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Fox River Trail & West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 9.3-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Wayne, IL. It is mostly level, with 137 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi686 – 791 ft9.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.96671, -88.24077
Nearest town Wayne, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Fox River Trail & West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

9.3 mi · ▲ 137 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Elevation 686–789 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.96671, -88.24077

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto West Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  6. 1.9 miTurn right, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miTurn left onto Fox River Trail, heading W.
  8. 1.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  11. 0.2 miReach West Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  16. 1.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading E.
  17. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  18. 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  20. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  22. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  23. 0.6 miTurn left, heading E.
  24. 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

62% paved13% gravel9% grass3% boardwalk13% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~39 min). Leave by 5:55 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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