Maple Lake–Boomerang Slough, 7 lakes
10.9 mi · ▲ 194 ft · 3 hr 44 min
Maple Lake–Boomerang Slough, 7 lakes is a 10.9-mile out-and-back in Spears Woods near Willow Springs, IL. The route passes Hidden Pond Slough, Hidden Pond Slough, Boomerang Slough and Pollywog Slough before reaching Maple Lake at the turnaround, 5.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 194 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Maple Lake–Boomerang Slough, 7 lakes
10.9 mi · ▲ 194 ft · 3 hr 44 min
Elevation 662–743 ft
Out & Back · Spears Woods
Trailhead: Hidden Pond Woods-West Trail Access · 41.72330, -87.85157
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:52 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Brown Unpaved Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Hidden Pond Slough.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Orange Unpaved Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Hidden Pond Slough.
- 0.7 miPass Boomerang Slough.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Purple Unpaved Spur, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftPass Pollywog Slough.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Tan Unpaved Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miSharp right onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Tan Single Track Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Black Single Track Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miSharp right onto Yellow Single Track Trail, heading W.
- 1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftReach Maple Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miSharp left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Black Single Track Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Tan Single Track Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading E.
- 1.5 miSharp left onto Tan Unpaved Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Purple Unpaved Spur, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Yellow Unpaved Trail, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Orange Unpaved Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miSharp left onto Brown Unpaved Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Hidden Pond Woods-West Trail Access Trailhead
- Tomahawk Slough–Boomerang Slough, 8 sights 11.2 mi · ▲ 163 ft
- Boomerang Slough & Hidden Pond Slough via Brown Unpaved Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 57 ft
- Belly Deep Slough–Cranberry Slough Loop, 8 lakes 5.7 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Belly Deep Slough–Cranberry Slough Loop, 8 lakes 4.7 mi · ▲ 109 ft
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