AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Old School Pink Loop & Old School Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail

9.6 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 3 hr 14 min

Old School Pink Loop & Old School Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve near Mettawa, IL. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi643 – 722 ft10.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.24031, -87.94735
Nearest town Mettawa, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Old School Pink Loop & Old School Yellow Trail via Des Plaines River Trail

9.6 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 3 hr 14 min

Elevation 642–723 ft

Out & Back · MacArthur Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 42.24031, -87.94735

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

Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & Townline stop 212 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  3. 200 ftTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading SE.
  4. 2.5 miTurn right onto Old School Yellow Trail, heading N.
  5. 0.6 miSharp left, heading N.
  6. 1.4 miReach Old School Yellow Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 2 miTurn left onto Des Plaines River Trail, heading SW.
  8. 2.5 miTurn right, heading W.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  10. 0.1 miArrive 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/old-school-pink-loop-old-school-yellow-trail-out-back-15-km-53dc

Trail surface

63% gravel2% paved35% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~71 min). Leave by 5:21 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Milwaukee & Townline stop 212 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Mettawa, Illinois