Glacial Park Conservation Area

McHenry County Prairie Trail

12.6 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 4 hr 17 min

McHenry County Prairie Trail is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Glacial Park Conservation Area near Wonder Center, IL. It is mostly level, with 165 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi768 – 846 ft12.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.42886, -88.32470
Nearest town Wonder Center, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

McHenry County Prairie Trail

12.6 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 4 hr 17 min

Elevation 768–847 ft

Out & Back · Glacial Park Conservation Area

Trailhead: 42.42886, -88.32470

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 1.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 200 ftTurn left onto McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading E.
  4. 5 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  5. 5 miTurn right, heading S.
  6. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  7. 1.3 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

78% dirt21% grass1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~57 min). Leave by 5:37 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:06 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead