AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Prairie Wetland

Illinois & Michigan Trail

13.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Illinois & Michigan Trail is a 13.5-mile out-and-back in Prairie Wetland near Birds, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi518 – 554 ft14.0 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois & Michigan Trail

13.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Elevation 519–554 ft

Out & Back · Prairie Wetland

Trailhead: 41.45650, -88.19562

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 1.7 miTurn left, heading W.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  6. 3.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  7. 0.1 miBear left onto Daryl Cole Trail Network, heading E.
  8. 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  9. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  10. 0.1 miTurn left onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading NW.
  11. 3.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  14. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  15. 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-22-km-5187

Trail surface

53% dirt8% grass39% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:34 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:54 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:21 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Birds, Illinois