Sag Valley Forest Preserve

Horsetail Lake via Cal-Sag Trail

8.7 mi · ▲ 114 ft · 2 hr 57 min

Horsetail Lake via Cal-Sag Trail is an 8.7-mile out-and-back in Sag Valley Forest Preserve near Palos Park, IL. The route reaches Horsetail Lake at the turnaround, 4.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 114 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi584 – 732 ft9.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Cal-Sag Trail 41.68270, -87.82985
Nearest town Palos Park, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Horsetail Lake via Cal-Sag Trail

8.7 mi · ▲ 114 ft · 2 hr 57 min

Elevation 585–733 ft

Out & Back · Sag Valley Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Cal-Sag Trail · 41.68270, -87.82985

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Transit-accessible: 111th Street & 86th Avenue stop 712 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cal-Sag Trail, heading W.
  2. 2.8 miTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Loop, heading SE.
  3. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  4. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  6. 500 ftBear right, heading SE.
  7. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Black Unpaved Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.4 miReach Horsetail Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Yellow Unpaved Loop, heading NE.
  10. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  11. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  12. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  14. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  15. 0.3 miSharp right onto Cal-Sag Trail, heading N.
  16. 2.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

63% paved37% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:38 AMSunset 6:52 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 111th Street & 86th Avenue stop 712 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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