AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Half Day Forest Preserve

Half Day Pond–Ranney Pond, 5 lakes

11.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 3 hr 47 min

Half Day Pond–Ranney Pond, 5 lakes is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Half Day Forest Preserve near Lincolnshire, IL. The route passes Half Day Pond and Willow Lawn Memorial Park Pond before reaching Ranney Pond at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi637 – 709 ft13.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.19608, -87.90675
Nearest town Lincolnshire, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Half Day Pond–Ranney Pond, 5 lakes

11.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 3 hr 47 min

Elevation 637–707 ft

Out & Back · Half Day Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.19608, -87.90675

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 61°F / low 57° · precip 9% · 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 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftTurn left onto Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Bike Path, heading N.
  4. 0.3 miTurn left onto Buffalo Grove-Lincolnshire Bike Path, heading N.
  5. 1 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.8 miTurn left, heading NW.
  7. 0.4 miPass Half Day Pond.
  8. 200 ftTurn left onto Green Trail, heading N.
  9. 350 ftBear left onto Red Trail, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 50 ftSharp left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading NW.
  12. 1.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  14. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  15. 100 ftBear right, heading N.
  16. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading N.
  17. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  19. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  21. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  23. 0.3 miPass Willow Lawn Memorial Park Pond.
  24. 50 ftPass Ranney Pond.
  25. 0.1 miReach Half Day Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  28. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  29. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  30. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  31. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  32. 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  34. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  35. 0.1 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading E.
  36. 1.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  37. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  38. 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Trail, heading E.
  39. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  40. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  41. 50 ftContinue straight onto Green Trail, heading SE.
  42. 250 ftTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading S.
  43. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  44. 1.1 miTurn left onto Buffalo Grove-Lincolnshire Bike Path, heading SE.
  45. 1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  46. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Bike Path, heading SW.
  47. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  48. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  49. 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/half-day-pond-ranney-pond-out-back-7-lakes-18-km

Trail surface

46% paved36% gravel5% grass3% boardwalk10% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 61°F57°
Precip9%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity66%
Rained 1.8″ 2 days ago (2.8″ 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 64°56°
Thu 65°55°
Fri 68°60°
Sat 69°58°
Sun 71°57°
Mon 71°55°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:10 PM — 9 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Lincolnshire, Illinois