AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lake Carina Forest Preserve

Gowe Memorial Pond & Washington Street Bike Path

5.8 mi · ▲ 135 ft · 2 hr

Gowe Memorial Pond & Washington Street Bike Path is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Carina Forest Preserve near Gurnee, IL. The route reaches Gowe Memorial Pond. It is mostly level, with 135 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi653 – 758 ft6.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.37408, -87.91746
Nearest town Gurnee, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gowe Memorial Pond & Washington Street Bike Path

5.8 mi · ▲ 135 ft · 2 hr

Elevation 654–758 ft

Out & Back · Lake Carina Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.37408, -87.91746

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

Bikes allowed on the whole route · Transit-accessible: Grand & O'Plaine stop 526 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 350 ftContinue straight onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.3 miPass Gowe Memorial Pond.
  5. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Washington Street Bike Path, heading W.
  6. 1.7 miReach Gowe Memorial Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 1.7 miContinue straight onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading E.
  8. 350 ftBear left, heading SE.
  9. 1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  10. 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/gowe-memorial-pond-gowe-memorial-pond-out-back-3-lakes-9-km

Trail surface

37% gravel2% paved61% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~67 min). Leave by 5:25 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:13 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Bikes allowed on the whole route
  • Transit-accessible: Grand & O'Plaine stop 526 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Gurnee, Illinois