AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Hawthorne Hill Woods

Lake Harriet & Hawthorne Hill Woods Trail

10.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Lake Harriet & Hawthorne Hill Woods Trail is a 10.4-mile out-and-back in Hawthorne Hill Woods near Darien, IL. The route reaches Lake Harriet at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi712 – 778 ft11.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.72139, -88.00736
Nearest town Darien, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Harriet & Hawthorne Hill Woods Trail

10.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Elevation 711–778 ft

Out & Back · Hawthorne Hill Woods

Trailhead: 41.72139, -88.00736

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:51 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 1.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
  3. 1.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  6. 0.8 miTurn right, heading W.
  7. 0.5 miBear right, heading N.
  8. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Hawthorne Hill Woods Trail, heading NW.
  9. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  10. 100 ftPass Lake Harriet.
  11. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  13. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  15. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  16. 350 ftReach Lake Harriet, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  18. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  22. 0.9 miBear left, heading SE.
  23. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  24. 0.8 miTurn right, heading E.
  25. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  27. 1.3 miTurn left, heading S.
  28. 0.6 miArrive 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-harriet-hawthorne-hill-woods-trail-out-back-17-km

Trail surface

87% paved13% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:51 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:14 PM — 4 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Darien, Illinois