AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Yuvikmi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Blackwell Forest Preserve

Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 9 lakes

12 mi · ▲ 170 ft · 4 hr 5 min

Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 9 lakes is a 12-mile out-and-back in Blackwell Forest Preserve near Wheaton, IL. The route passes Rathje Pond, East Pond, Front Pond and 4 more before reaching Mount Hoy at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 170 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi699 – 833 ft12.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Illinois Prairie Path 41.86432, -88.10831
Nearest town Wheaton, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 9 lakes

12 mi · ▲ 170 ft · 4 hr 5 min

Elevation 698–834 ft

Out & Back · Blackwell Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Illinois Prairie Path · 41.86432, -88.10831

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

Transit-accessible: Liberty & Hale stop 22 m from the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Illinois Prairie Path, heading W.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  5. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  6. 50 ftTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading W.
  7. 0.3 miPass Rathje Pond.
  8. 3 miPass East Pond.
  9. 0.3 miPass Front Pond.
  10. 0.4 miPass Silver Lake.
  11. 200 ftTurn right, heading W.
  12. 50 ftTurn left onto St. James Farm Bike Trail, heading W.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading W.
  14. 0.4 miPass Sand Pond.
  15. 50 ftPass White Pine Pond.
  16. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  17. 0.4 miPass Sand Pond.
  18. 0.6 miTurn right, heading NW.
  19. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 0.2 miReach Mount Hoy, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  22. 1.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  23. 0.4 miContinue straight onto St. James Farm Bike Trail, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  25. 50 ftTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading E.
  26. 4 miTurn right onto Illinois Prairie Path, heading N.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  28. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  29. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  30. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  31. 0.2 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/mount-hoy-silver-lake-out-back-14-lakes-19-km

Trail surface

77% gravel16% paved3% grass4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~69 min). Leave by 5:25 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Liberty & Hale stop 22 m from the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Wheaton, Illinois