Old Plank Road Trail–Preservation Path, 3 sights
13.6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 4 hr 34 min
Old Plank Road Trail–Preservation Path, 3 sights is a 13.6-mile out-and-back in Halsted Woods near Chicago Heights, IL. 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
Getting there
Directions
Old Plank Road Trail–Preservation Path, 3 sights
13.6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 4 hr 34 min
Elevation 632–713 ft
Out & Back · Halsted Woods
Trailhead: Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail · 41.52025, -87.63061
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Transit-accessible: Halsted & Joe Orr stop 420 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Thorn Creek Black Unpaved Spur, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 1.4 miTurn right onto Old Plank Road Trail, heading SW.
- 3.6 miTurn right onto Preservation Path, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.4 miReach Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Old Plank Road Trail, heading S.
- 3.6 miTurn left onto Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail, heading E.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Thorn Creek Black Unpaved Spur, heading NE.
- 450 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~115 min). Leave by 4:36 PM for the 6:51 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Halsted & Joe Orr stop 420 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail Trailhead
- Thorn Creek Green Paved Spur & Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail 16 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail 15.2 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Thorn Creek Red Paved Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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