AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.9 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Clintonville, 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 ft16.3 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

15.9 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 5 hr 20 min

Elevation 734–807 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. 5.7 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 5.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  16. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  18. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left onto Bluestem Trail, heading W.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  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-26-km-8c54

Trail surface

85% gravel11% paved4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.5 mi in (~135 min). Leave by 4:20 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:25 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