AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

14.6 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 4 hr 57 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Munger, IL. It is mostly level, with 162 ft of elevation gain. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi686 – 794 ft14.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.94989, -88.22295
Nearest town Munger, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

14.6 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 4 hr 57 min

Elevation 686–792 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.94989, -88.22295

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:55 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftTurn left onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading S.
  3. 1 miTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  4. 3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
  6. 100 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  7. 1.9 miTurn right, heading W.
  8. 0.1 miTurn left onto Fox River Trail, heading S.
  9. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  10. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  11. 200 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  12. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  13. 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  15. 1.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
  16. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
  20. 3 miTurn left onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading E.
  21. 1 miTurn right, heading N.
  22. 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-elgin-branch-out-back-20-km-5461

Trail surface

51% paved42% gravel2% boardwalk5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:55 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 6:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:22 PM — 1 min before dark.

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