AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Fourth Lake Forest Preserve

McDonald Woods Lake & Millennium Trail

15.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 5 hr 18 min

McDonald Woods Lake & Millennium Trail is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Fourth Lake Forest Preserve near Druce Lake, IL. The route reaches McDonald Woods Lake at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi755 – 801 ft17.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.35699, -88.01010
Nearest town Druce Lake, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

McDonald Woods Lake & Millennium Trail

15.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 5 hr 18 min

Elevation 755–799 ft

Out & Back · Fourth Lake Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.35699, -88.01010

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

Transit-accessible: Lancer & Willow stop 134 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 1.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  8. 400 ftBear left, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  12. 200 ftBear right, heading N.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  14. 1.1 miBear right onto Millennium Trail, heading N.
  15. 3.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  16. 0.8 miPass McDonald Woods Lake.
  17. 0.2 miReach McDonald Woods Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 1 miBear right, heading SE.
  19. 2.9 miBear right, heading S.
  20. 0.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  21. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  22. 1.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  24. 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  28. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  29. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  30. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
  31. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  32. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  33. 1.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  34. 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/mcdonald-woods-lake-millennium-trail-out-back

Trail surface

56% gravel2% boardwalk1% paved41% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.4 mi in (~156 min). Leave by 3:57 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Lancer & Willow stop 134 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Druce Lake, Illinois