AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

North Central DuPage Regional Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.7 mi · ▲ 140 ft · 5 hr 18 min

North Central DuPage Regional Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 15.7-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Prince Crossing, IL. It is mostly level, with 140 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi722 – 810 ft16.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.91275, -88.17286
Nearest town Prince Crossing, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

North Central DuPage Regional Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

15.7 mi · ▲ 140 ft · 5 hr 18 min

Elevation 720–811 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.91275, -88.17286

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miBear left onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading W.
  3. 0.9 miSharp right onto Great Western Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  5. 3.1 miSharp right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading NW.
  6. 3.5 miReach North Central DuPage Regional Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 3.5 miSharp left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading S.
  8. 3.1 miContinue straight onto Great Western Trail, heading E.
  9. 0.4 miSharp left onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading E.
  10. 0.9 miBear right, heading E.
  11. 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/north-central-dupage-regional-trail-out-back-25-km-e7d0

Trail surface

42% gravel33% paved25% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~104 min). Leave by 4:49 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:52 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Prince Crossing, Illinois