Glacial Park Conservation Area

McHenry County Prairie Trail

13.4 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 4 hr 33 min

McHenry County Prairie Trail is a 13.4-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 – 853 ft13.7 mi

Getting there

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

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

McHenry County Prairie Trail

13.4 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 4 hr 33 min

Elevation 768–854 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. 5.4 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  5. 5.3 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

79% dirt20% grass1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.2 mi in (~57 min). Leave by 5:38 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

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