AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

10.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr 30 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 10.5-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Clintonville, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi742 – 781 ft10.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.98198, -88.26872
Nearest town Clintonville, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

10.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr 30 min

Elevation 740–781 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.98198, -88.26872

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:56 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Bluestem Trail, heading S.
  3. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Indigo Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  6. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  7. 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  9. 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading E.
  10. 100 ftBear right, heading E.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading S.
  12. 3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
  15. 100 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  16. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  18. 200 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left onto Bluestem Trail, heading NW.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  22. 200 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-24-km-5fd4

Trail surface

79% gravel14% paved7% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~116 min). Leave by 4:40 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:06 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Clintonville, Illinois