Sag Valley Forest Preserve

Horsetail Lake–Green Unpaved Trail, 4 sights

11.3 mi · ▲ 248 ft · 3 hr 53 min

Horsetail Lake–Green Unpaved Trail, 4 sights is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Sag Valley Forest Preserve near Anand Brook, IL. The route reaches Horsetail Lake at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 248 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 748 ft11.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Sag Valley Orange Unpaved Spur 41.64975, -87.92399
Nearest town Anand Brook, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Horsetail Lake–Green Unpaved Trail, 4 sights

11.3 mi · ▲ 248 ft · 3 hr 53 min

Elevation 644–747 ft

Out & Back · Sag Valley Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Sag Valley Orange Unpaved Spur · 41.64975, -87.92399

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Sag Valley Orange Unpaved Spur, heading SE.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left onto Sag Valley Red Unpaved Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.4 miBear right onto Sag Valley Brown Unpaved Loop, heading N.
  4. 1.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  5. 1.1 miTurn right onto Green Unpaved Trail, heading E.
  6. 1.3 miTurn right onto Yellow Unpaved Loop, heading NE.
  7. 1.3 miSharp right onto Black Unpaved Trail, heading NE.
  8. 0.4 miReach Horsetail Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 0.4 miSharp left onto Yellow Unpaved Loop, heading NE.
  10. 1.3 miTurn left onto Green Unpaved Trail, heading N.
  11. 1.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  12. 1.1 miTurn left onto Sag Valley Brown Unpaved Loop, heading W.
  13. 1.1 miBear left onto Sag Valley Red Unpaved Trail, heading S.
  14. 0.4 miTurn right onto Sag Valley Orange Unpaved Spur, heading S.
  15. 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

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:52 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~61 min). Leave by 5:31 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Sag Valley Orange Unpaved Spur Trailhead