AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Central Park

Illinois & Michigan Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Illinois & Michigan Trail is a 6.3-mile out-and-back in Central Park near Birds, IL. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi509 – 554 ft7.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.45650, -88.19562
Nearest town Birds, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois & Michigan Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 7 min

Elevation 510–554 ft

Out & Back · Central Park

Trailhead: 41.45650, -88.19562

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:55 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 1.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  4. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  5. 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  6. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  7. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  8. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 0.5 miTurn left onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  11. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  12. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  13. 450 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  14. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  15. 500 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  20. 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  22. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  23. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  25. 1.6 miArrive 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/illinois-michigan-trail-out-back-10-km-b1f0

Trail surface

16% dirt2% gravel82% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:55 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:35 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:55 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:23 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Birds, Illinois