AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Liberty Lake via Des Plaines River Trail

12.4 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 4 hr 12 min

Liberty Lake via Des Plaines River Trail is a 12.4-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Mettawa, IL. The route reaches Liberty Lake at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 136 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 722 ft14.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.22776, -87.94859
Nearest town Mettawa, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Liberty Lake via Des Plaines River Trail

12.4 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 4 hr 12 min

Elevation 641–722 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.22776, -87.94859

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & CDW Way stop 597 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading E.
  3. 0.6 miSharp left, heading S.
  4. 250 ftBear left, heading S.
  5. 400 ftSharp right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  8. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  10. 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  12. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  13. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  16. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  17. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  19. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  20. 200 ftTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading E.
  21. 4.6 miTurn left onto North Shore Bike Path, heading N.
  22. 450 ftPass Liberty Lake.
  23. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  25. 250 ftReach Liberty Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  26. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  27. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  28. 0.3 miTurn right onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading W.
  29. 4.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  30. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  34. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  35. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  36. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  37. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  39. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  40. 500 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  41. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  42. 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
  43. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  44. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  45. 400 ftBear right, heading NW.
  46. 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  47. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Vernon Hills High School Drop-off Loop, heading S.
  48. 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/liberty-lake-liberty-lake-out-back-20-km

Trail surface

72% gravel8% paved20% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~93 min). Leave by 4:59 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & CDW Way stop 597 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mettawa, Illinois