AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve

Night Heron Trail

5.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 52 min

Night Heron Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve near Utopia, IL. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 725 ft6.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.83013, -87.97218
Nearest town Utopia, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Night Heron Trail

5.5 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 1 hr 52 min

Elevation 644–724 ft

Out & Back · Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.83013, -87.97218

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

Transit-accessible: 31st Street / Oak Brook & Midwest stop 150 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 300 ftSharp left, heading N.
  3. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  4. 1.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  5. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  10. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Night Heron Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.3 miTurn left onto Rainbow Bridge, heading S.
  12. 250 ftTurn left onto Night Heron Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Monarch Trail, heading E.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  15. 250 ftBear left, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Riverbend Trail, heading SE.
  18. 350 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  19. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  20. 50 ftBear right onto Monarch Trail, heading E.
  21. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Night Heron Trail, heading W.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right onto Rainbow Bridge, heading W.
  23. 200 ftTurn right onto Night Heron Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  25. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  27. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  29. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  30. 1.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 300 ftSharp right, heading W.
  32. 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/night-heron-trail-out-back-9-km-fad1

Trail surface

46% paved31% gravel1% boardwalk22% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~25 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: 31st Street / Oak Brook & Midwest stop 150 m from the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Utopia, Illinois