AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Warrenville Grove County Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch

12.6 mi · ▲ 120 ft · 4 hr 16 min

Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Warrenville Grove County Forest Preserve near Naperville, IL. It is mostly level, with 120 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi682 – 745 ft13.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.80110, -88.15719
Nearest town Naperville, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch

12.6 mi · ▲ 120 ft · 4 hr 16 min

Elevation 682–744 ft

Out & Back · Warrenville Grove County Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.80110, -88.15719

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  3. 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 0.6 miBear right onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading W.
  6. 1.9 miSharp left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading NE.
  7. 2.9 miBear right onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftBear left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading SW.
  9. 0.7 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  10. 0.7 miBear right onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading NE.
  11. 50 ftBear left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading NE.
  12. 2.9 miSharp right onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading NE.
  13. 1.9 miBear left, heading S.
  14. 0.6 miTurn right, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  17. 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-prairie-path-aurora-branch-out-back-20-km-8836

Trail surface

63% gravel36% paved1% other

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.7 mi in (~140 min). Leave by 4:13 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Naperville, Illinois