AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Prairie Wetland

Illinois & Michigan Trail

13.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Illinois & Michigan Trail is a 13.9-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 – 558 ft14.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.45876, -88.19277
Nearest town Birds, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois & Michigan Trail

13.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 38 min

Elevation 519–556 ft

Out & Back · Prairie Wetland

Trailhead: 41.45876, -88.19277

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 100 ftBear right, heading SW.
  3. 450 ftBear right, heading W.
  4. 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
  5. 1.8 miTurn left, heading SW.
  6. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  8. 0.5 miTurn right onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  9. 3.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  10. 0.1 miBear left onto Daryl Cole Trail Network, heading NE.
  11. 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  12. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  14. 3.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  15. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  17. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  18. 1.8 miBear right, heading N.
  19. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  20. 450 ftBear left, heading NE.
  21. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/illinois-michigan-trail-out-back-22-km-8b0a

Trail surface

52% dirt7% grass41% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:28 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:14 PM — 7 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Birds, Illinois