AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.9 mi · ▲ 93 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Carol Stream, IL. It is mostly level, with 93 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi722 – 807 ft16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.90481, -88.14195
Nearest town Carol Stream, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.9 mi · ▲ 93 ft · 5 hr 21 min

Elevation 720–807 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.90481, -88.14195

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left onto Steve Ravanesi Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miSharp right onto Great Western Trail, heading W.
  5. 2.1 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  6. 3.1 miSharp right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading NW.
  7. 1 miTurn left, heading N.
  8. 450 ftBear right onto East Trail, heading NW.
  9. 1.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  11. 1.4 miBear left, heading S.
  12. 450 ftTurn right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading SE.
  13. 1 miSharp left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading S.
  14. 3.1 miContinue straight onto Great Western Trail, heading E.
  15. 2.1 miSharp left onto Steve Ravanesi Trail, heading E.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  17. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  18. 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-cbb8

Trail surface

62% gravel14% paved24% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.5 mi in (~134 min). Leave by 4:19 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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