AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Great Western Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

12.5 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 4 hr 12 min

Great Western Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 12.5-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Wayne, IL. It is mostly level, with 59 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi735 – 807 ft12.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.96216, -88.23910
Nearest town Wayne, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Great Western Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

12.5 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 4 hr 12 min

Elevation 734–807 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.96216, -88.23910

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto East Trail, heading S.
  3. 1.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  4. 450 ftTurn right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading S.
  5. 1 miSharp left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
  6. 2.8 miSharp right onto Great Western Trail, heading W.
  7. 1.1 miReach Great Western Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 1.1 miSharp left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  9. 2.8 miSharp right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading NW.
  10. 1 miTurn left, heading N.
  11. 450 ftBear right onto East Trail, heading NW.
  12. 1.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  13. 250 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-elgin-branch-out-back-12-km-2909

Trail surface

60% gravel18% paved22% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~62 min). Leave by 5:32 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Wayne, Illinois