AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Pickerel Lake–Catfish Pond, 5 lakes

1.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 38 min

Pickerel Lake–Catfish Pond, 5 lakes is a 1.9-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Wayne, IL. The route passes Catfish Pond, Horsetail Pond and Beaver Slough before reaching Pickerel Lake at the turnaround, 0.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi745 – 761 ft2.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.96671, -88.24077
Nearest town Wayne, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pickerel Lake–Catfish Pond, 5 lakes

1.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 38 min

Elevation 743–760 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.96671, -88.24077

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto West Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.5 miPass Catfish Pond.
  4. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  5. 50 ftPass Horsetail Pond.
  6. 50 ftPass Beaver Slough.
  7. 100 ftTurn right onto Lake Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  9. 100 ftReach Pickerel Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  11. 100 ftBear right, heading N.
  12. 0.1 miContinue straight onto West Trail, heading N.
  13. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  14. 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/pickerel-lake-catfish-pond-out-back-9-lakes-3-km

Trail surface

77% gravel3% grass20% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Wayne, Illinois