AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.4 mi · ▲ 116 ft · 5 hr 11 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Coleman, IL. It is mostly level, with 116 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi722 – 807 ft15.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.97874, -88.27934
Nearest town Coleman, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.4 mi · ▲ 116 ft · 5 hr 11 min

Elevation 720–807 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.97874, -88.27934

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 400 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading E.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  5. 0.5 miTurn left onto West Trail, heading E.
  6. 100 ftBear right, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
  8. 6 miContinue straight onto Great Western Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  10. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  11. 6 miTurn right, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading NW.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  14. 1.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  15. 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-ac5c

Trail surface

82% gravel14% paved4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.5 mi in (~110 min). Leave by 4:44 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Coleman, Illinois