AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Metro Bike Link Trail & SWIC Campus Trail

9.3 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Metro Bike Link Trail & SWIC Campus Trail is a 9.3-mile out-and-back near Swansea, IL. It is mostly level, with 136 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi463 – 535 ft10.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 38.53646, -89.98734
Nearest town Swansea, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Metro Bike Link Trail & SWIC Campus Trail

9.3 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Elevation 461–534 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 38.53646, -89.98734

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:47 AM · sunset 7:00 PM

Transit-accessible: Swansea Loop at Metrolink stop 16 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftSharp left onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading SE.
  3. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Richland Creek Bike Trail, heading S.
  4. 150 ftContinue straight onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left onto East Belleville Bikeway, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading S.
  7. 3.2 miTurn left onto Dr. Tom Amlung Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.3 miTurn right onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading N.
  9. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  10. 250 ftSharp right onto SWIC Campus Trail, heading E.
  11. 50 ftReach Metro Bike Link Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 50 ftSharp left onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading E.
  13. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  14. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  15. 0.4 miTurn left onto Dr. Tom Amlung Trail, heading W.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading W.
  17. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  18. 3.1 miTurn left onto East Belleville Bikeway, heading NW.
  19. 50 ftTurn right onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading NW.
  20. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Richland Creek Bike Trail, heading NW.
  21. 150 ftContinue straight onto Metro Bike Link Trail, heading NW.
  22. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/metro-bike-link-trail-swic-campus-trail-out-back-15-km-0c3f

Trail surface

90% paved5% boardwalk5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:47 AMSunset 7:00 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.5 mi in (~37 min). Leave by 6:03 PM for the 7:00 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:53 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Swansea Loop at Metrolink stop 16 m from the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Swansea, Illinois