AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Prairie Wetland

Illinois & Michigan Trail

9.3 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr 6 min

Illinois & Michigan Trail is a 9.3-mile out-and-back in Prairie Wetland near Birds, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi509 – 535 ft9.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Daryl Cole Trail Network 41.46989, -88.18678
Nearest town Birds, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois & Michigan Trail

9.3 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr 6 min

Elevation 510–534 ft

Out & Back · Prairie Wetland

Trailhead: Daryl Cole Trail Network · 41.46989, -88.18678

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Daryl Cole Trail Network, heading SW.
  2. 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  4. 4 miTurn left, heading S.
  5. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 450 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  7. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 500 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  10. 0.1 miBear left onto Daryl Cole Trail Network, heading NE.
  11. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/illinois-michigan-trail-out-back-15-km-2010

Trail surface

88% dirt11% grass1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~15 min). Leave by 6:18 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:24 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Birds, Illinois