McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail via Millennium Trail
13.7 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 39 min
McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail via Millennium Trail is a 13.7-mile out-and-back in Fourth Lake Forest Preserve near Druce Lake, IL. The route reaches McDonald Woods Lake. It is mostly level, with 161 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail via Millennium Trail
13.7 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 39 min
Elevation 737–799 ft
Out & Back · Fourth Lake Forest Preserve
Trailhead: 42.37218, -87.98361
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.8 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Millennium Trail, heading NW.
- 2.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.8 miPass McDonald Woods Lake.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto McDonald Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto McDonald Woods Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach McDonald Woods Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftSharp right onto McDonald Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto McDonald Woods Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miContinue straight onto Millennium Trail, heading SE.
- 1 miBear right, heading E.
- 2.9 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.9 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~112 min). Leave by 4:39 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:58 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Millennium Trail 12.6 mi · ▲ 107 ft
- Jones Island Beach–Molly's Pond, 3 beaches 12.4 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- Millennium Trail 5.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Central Marsh via Millennium Trail 6.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Fourth Lake via Millennium Trail 7.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Third Lake via Millennium Trail 5.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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