Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch
6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 2 hr 10 min
Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 6.5-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Wayne, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch
6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 2 hr 10 min
Elevation 740–766 ft
Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve
Trailhead: 41.94786, -88.23747
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:56 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
- 1.9 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~71 min). Leave by 5:25 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 5.2 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 5.3 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 6.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 3.1 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch 4.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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