AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.4 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 5 hr 10 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Clintonville, IL. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi742 – 787 ft15.7 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

15.4 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 5 hr 10 min

Elevation 740–787 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 miTurn left onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading E.
  13. 1 miTurn left, heading N.
  14. 450 ftBear right onto East Trail, heading NW.
  15. 1.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  17. 1.4 miBear left, heading S.
  18. 450 ftTurn right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading SE.
  19. 1 miTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading S.
  20. 3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  21. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
  22. 100 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  23. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  25. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  26. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left onto Bluestem Trail, heading W.
  28. 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  29. 150 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-25-km-48f1

Trail surface

54% gravel23% paved23% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.8 mi in (~142 min). Leave by 4:14 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:32 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