AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Prairie Wetland

Illinois & Michigan Trail

14 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 4 hr 41 min

Illinois & Michigan Trail is a 14-mile out-and-back in Prairie Wetland near Birds, IL. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi518 – 558 ft14.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.45907, -88.19095
Nearest town Birds, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois & Michigan Trail

14 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 4 hr 41 min

Elevation 519–556 ft

Out & Back · Prairie Wetland

Trailhead: 41.45907, -88.19095

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 400 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  5. 450 ftBear right, heading W.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  7. 1.8 miTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 0.5 miTurn right onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading SW.
  11. 3.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  12. 0.1 miBear left onto Daryl Cole Trail Network, heading NE.
  13. 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  14. 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left onto Illinois & Michigan Trail, heading S.
  16. 3.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  17. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  19. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 1.8 miBear right, heading NE.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  22. 450 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  23. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  25. 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-23-km-0c41

Trail surface

51% dirt7% grass42% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:16 PM — 5 min before dark.

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