McDonald Woods Forest Preserve

McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail

2 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 42 min

McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back in McDonald Woods Forest Preserve near Millburn, IL. The route reaches McDonald Woods Lake at the turnaround, 0.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi738 – 781 ft2.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.42659, -88.01855
Nearest town Millburn, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

McDonald Woods Lake & McDonald Woods Lake Trail

2 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 42 min

Elevation 737–780 ft

Out & Back · McDonald Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.42659, -88.01855

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

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SE.
  5. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  6. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  7. 0.2 miBear left onto McDonald Woods Lake Trail, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftSharp right onto McDonald Lake Trail, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto McDonald Woods Lake Trail, heading S.
  10. 0.4 miPass McDonald Woods Lake.
  11. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  12. 500 ftReach McDonald Woods Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 0.6 miTurn right onto McDonald Lake Trail, heading E.
  14. 50 ftSharp left onto McDonald Woods Lake Trail, heading E.
  15. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  16. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  17. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  18. 250 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  19. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  21. 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

52% gravel48% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 6:30 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:11 PM — 10 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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