AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Red Oak Nature Center

Cave of the Spirit via Fox River Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 2 hr 8 min

Cave of the Spirit via Fox River Trail is a 6.3-mile out-and-back in Red Oak Nature Center near Woodland Hills, IL. The route reaches Cave of the Spirit at the turnaround, 3.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 81 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi656 – 771 ft6.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.82667, -88.27949
Nearest town Woodland Hills, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cave of the Spirit via Fox River Trail

6.3 mi · ▲ 81 ft · 2 hr 8 min

Elevation 657–769 ft

Out & Back · Red Oak Nature Center

Trailhead: 41.82667, -88.27949

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

Transit-accessible: Lincolnway & Mooseheart School Entrance stop 471 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  4. 250 ftContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading NW.
  5. 1.6 miSharp left onto Fox River Trail, heading N.
  6. 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
  7. 0.5 miBear right, heading S.
  8. 250 ftTurn left onto Bubo Trail, heading S.
  9. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  10. 50 ftTurn right onto Fox River Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.3 miReach Cave of the Spirit, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 50 ftTurn right onto Bubo Trail, heading NE.
  14. 450 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  15. 250 ftBear left onto Fox River Trail, heading NW.
  16. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
  17. 0.5 miSharp right onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading N.
  18. 1.7 miBear right, heading SE.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  20. 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/kirk-fabyan-regional-trail-out-back-10-km

Trail surface

85% paved10% gravel2% dirt3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~13 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:25 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lincolnway & Mooseheart School Entrance stop 471 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Woodland Hills, Illinois