Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 4 lakes
8.4 mi · ▲ 308 ft · 2 hr 57 min
Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 4 lakes is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Blackwell Forest Preserve near Batavia Junction, IL. The route passes White Pine Pond, Sand Pond and Silver Lake before reaching Mount Hoy at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 308 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Mount Hoy–Silver Lake, 4 lakes
8.4 mi · ▲ 308 ft · 2 hr 57 min
Elevation 689–834 ft
Out & Back · Blackwell Forest Preserve
Trailhead: Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch · 41.79811, -88.22423
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:55 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading NE.
- 2.3 miSharp left onto Batavia Road Sidepath, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Butterfield Road Sidepath, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass White Pine Pond.
- 350 ftBear left onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Sand Pond.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 300 ftPass Silver Lake.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miReach Mount Hoy, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1 miBear right onto Butterfield Road Sidepath, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Batavia Road Sidepath, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading S.
- 2.3 miBear right onto Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading SW.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 6:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:20 PM — 3 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch Trailhead
- Cave of the Spirit & Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur 15.7 mi · ▲ 218 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur 9.7 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Big Turtle Viewpoint & Illinois Prairie Path Batavia Spur 15.6 mi · ▲ 218 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch 6.7 mi · ▲ 110 ft
- McKee Marsh–White Pine Pond, 4 lakes 12.6 mi · ▲ 57 ft
- Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch 5.6 mi · ▲ 57 ft
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