AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Veteran Acres Park

Moraine View Viewpoint & McHenry County Prairie Trail

14.5 mi · ▲ 285 ft · 4 hr 59 min

Moraine View Viewpoint & McHenry County Prairie Trail is a 14.5-mile out-and-back in Veteran Acres Park near McHenry, IL. The route reaches Moraine View Viewpoint. It climbs 285 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi748 – 935 ft15.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: McHenry County Prairie Trail 42.34620, -88.27994
Nearest town McHenry, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Moraine View Viewpoint & McHenry County Prairie Trail

14.5 mi · ▲ 285 ft · 4 hr 59 min

Elevation 748–934 ft

Out & Back · Veteran Acres Park

Trailhead: McHenry County Prairie Trail · 42.34620, -88.27994

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

Transit-accessible: McHenry Metra Station stop 397 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  4. 4.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  5. 1.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.2 miTurn right onto Oak View Trail, heading S.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  9. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  10. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  11. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  13. 100 ftBear left, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Moraine View Trail, heading S.
  16. 50 ftPass Moraine View Viewpoint.
  17. 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
  18. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  19. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  20. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  21. 200 ftSharp left, heading S.
  22. 0.2 miContinue straight onto McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Moraine View Trail, heading NW.
  24. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftBear right onto Prairie View Trail, heading SW.
  26. 150 ftBear left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  28. 0.3 miReach Moraine View Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  29. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  30. 200 ftBear left, heading W.
  31. 50 ftBear right onto Moraine View Trail, heading W.
  32. 0.2 miContinue straight onto McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading W.
  33. 50 ftContinue straight onto Moraine View Trail, heading E.
  34. 0.2 miSharp right, heading E.
  35. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  36. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  37. 150 ftSharp right, heading E.
  38. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  39. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  40. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  41. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  42. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  43. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  44. 100 ftTurn left onto Oak View Trail, heading N.
  45. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  46. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  47. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  48. 50 ftTurn left onto McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading SE.
  49. 1.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  50. 4.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
  51. 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/moraine-view-viewpoint-mchenry-county-prairie-trail-out-back-22-km

Trail surface

80% paved18% dirt2% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 5:26 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:16 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: McHenry Metra Station stop 397 m from the trailhead
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from McHenry County Prairie Trail Trailhead

Hikes near McHenry, Illinois