AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Sky Zone–Old School Blue Loop, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 4 hr 56 min

Sky Zone–Old School Blue Loop, 3 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Lake Bluff, IL. The route reaches Sky Zone at the turnaround, 7.3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 133 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 722 ft15.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.28231, -87.84598
Nearest town Lake Bluff, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sky Zone–Old School Blue Loop, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 4 hr 56 min

Elevation 642–723 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.28231, -87.84598

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:50 PM

Transit-accessible: Lake Bluff stop 280 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftTurn left onto Robert McClory Bike Path, heading S.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 300 ftSharp right onto North Shore Bike Path, heading S.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  6. 2 miTurn left onto Middlefork Greenway, heading W.
  7. 100 ftContinue straight onto North Shore Bike Path, heading W.
  8. 1.4 miTurn left onto Old School Forest Preserve, heading W.
  9. 400 ftContinue straight onto Old School Blue Loop, heading W.
  10. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left onto Old School Yellow Trail, heading S.
  12. 0.6 miTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading SW.
  13. 2.4 miPass Sky Zone.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  15. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  16. 100 ftReach Sky Zone, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 2.6 miTurn right onto Old School Yellow Trail, heading NE.
  18. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.2 miBear left onto Old School Blue Loop, heading NE.
  20. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  21. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Old School Forest Preserve, heading E.
  22. 400 ftTurn right onto North Shore Bike Path, heading NW.
  23. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Middlefork Greenway, heading E.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto North Shore Bike Path, heading E.
  25. 2 miBear right, heading E.
  26. 50 ftSharp left onto Robert McClory Bike Path, heading E.
  27. 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  29. 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/lake-bluff-pond-lake-bluff-pond-out-back-4-sights-23-km-700a

Trail surface

50% gravel29% paved21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:50 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 6:14 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lake Bluff stop 280 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Lake Bluff, Illinois