AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rock Cut State Park

Pierce Lake & Willow Creek Trail via Perryville Path

16 mi · ▲ 388 ft · 5 hr 32 min

Pierce Lake & Willow Creek Trail via Perryville Path is a 16-mile out-and-back in Rock Cut State Park near Cherry Valley, IL. The route reaches Pierce Lake. It climbs 388 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi761 – 909 ft17.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.28980, -88.97026
Nearest town Cherry Valley, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pierce Lake & Willow Creek Trail via Perryville Path

16 mi · ▲ 388 ft · 5 hr 32 min

Elevation 760–909 ft

Out & Back · Rock Cut State Park

Trailhead: 42.28980, -88.97026

Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:43 AM · sunset 6:57 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.5 miTurn right onto Perryville Path, heading W.
  3. 1.8 miTurn left, heading N.
  4. 3.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  5. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  6. 250 ftContinue straight onto Willow Creek Trail, heading SE.
  7. 0.5 miPass Pierce Lake.
  8. 500 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  9. 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
  10. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  12. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  14. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  15. 1 miSharp right, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 250 ftReach Pierce Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  19. 0.2 miSharp left, heading E.
  20. 1 miBear right, heading W.
  21. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 250 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  25. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  26. 0.8 miBear left, heading SW.
  27. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 3 miContinue straight onto Perryville Path, heading SE.
  29. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  31. 1.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  32. 0.3 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/pierce-lake-willow-creek-trail-out-back-26-km

Trail surface

77% paved18% dirt1% boardwalk4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:43 AMSunset 6:57 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.4 mi in (~84 min). Leave by 5:13 PM for the 6:57 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Cherry Valley, Illinois