James "Pate" Philip State Park

Mulberry & Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

12.8 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 4 hr 18 min

Mulberry & Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 12.8-mile out-and-back in James "Pate" Philip State Park near Clintonville, IL. The route passes Mulberry before reaching Mulberry at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi702 – 764 ft13.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.98198, -88.26872
Nearest town Clintonville, IL

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mulberry & Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

12.8 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 4 hr 18 min

Elevation 703–765 ft

Out & Back · James "Pate" Philip State Park

Trailhead: 41.98198, -88.26872

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:56 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Bluestem Trail, heading S.
  3. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 0.1 miTurn right onto Indigo Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  6. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  7. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  8. 2.6 miBear right onto Fox River Trail, heading N.
  9. 1 miPass Mulberry.
  10. 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
  11. 0.7 miSharp right, heading NW.
  12. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 0.3 miReach Mulberry, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  15. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  16. 0.7 miBear right, heading SE.
  17. 1.3 miBear left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading S.
  18. 3.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  19. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  20. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  21. 0.1 miTurn left onto Bluestem Trail, heading E.
  22. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 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 surface

85% paved13% gravel2% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~34 min). Leave by 6:01 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead