AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Aurora West Forest Preserve

Great Prairie Trail & Virgil Gilman Trail

10.7 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 35 min

Great Prairie Trail & Virgil Gilman Trail is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in Aurora West Forest Preserve near Montgomery, IL. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi650 – 699 ft11.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Virgil Gilman Trail 41.74603, -88.34483
Nearest town Montgomery, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Great Prairie Trail & Virgil Gilman Trail

10.7 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 35 min

Elevation 649–700 ft

Out & Back · Aurora West Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Virgil Gilman Trail · 41.74603, -88.34483

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 62°F / low 55° · precip 6% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:41 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Transit-accessible: Jericho & Terry stop 130 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SW.
  2. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  3. 1.4 miBear right, heading W.
  4. 450 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  6. 0.9 miBear right onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  8. 250 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading N.
  9. 1.1 miTurn right onto Great Prairie Trail, heading NW.
  10. 1.7 miReach Virgil Gilman Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 1.7 miTurn left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading S.
  12. 1.1 miSharp right, heading SE.
  13. 350 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading SE.
  14. 200 ftBear left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.9 miBear left, heading SE.
  16. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  17. 1.5 miBear left, heading E.
  18. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  19. 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/great-prairie-trail-virgil-gilman-trail-out-back-17-km-ac42

Trail surface

64% paved19% grass1% gravel1% boardwalk15% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 62°F55°
Precip6%Wind9 mphUV5Humidity85%
Rained 2″ 2 days ago (5.8″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:41 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:52 PM
Wed 63°56°
Thu 70°55°
Fri 63°55°
Sat 60°56°
Sun 57°54°
Mon 70°52°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.3 mi in (~132 min). Leave by 4:21 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Jericho & Terry stop 130 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Virgil Gilman Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Montgomery, Illinois