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
Getting there
Directions
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
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto West Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
- 1.9 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Fox River Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miReach West Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading E.
- 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 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.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Fox River Trail–Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, 3 sights 12.6 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Central Trail & West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 15.9 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Bluestem Trail & West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Pickerel Lake–Catfish Pond, 5 lakes 1.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Wayne, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Wayne, Illinois