Prairie Loop Trail via Virgil Gilman Trail
10.6 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 33 min
Prairie Loop Trail via Virgil Gilman Trail is a 10.6-mile out-and-back in Bliss Woods Forest Preserve near Montgomery, IL. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Prairie Loop Trail via Virgil Gilman Trail
10.6 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 3 hr 33 min
Elevation 662–720 ft
Out & Back · Bliss Woods Forest Preserve
Trailhead: 41.75223, -88.37772
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:56 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miBear right onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading NW.
- 4.4 miTurn right onto Prairie Loop Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach Prairie Loop Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SW.
- 3.8 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.2 mi in (~129 min). Leave by 4:27 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Virgil Gilman Trail 10.4 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Turnstone Lake via Virgil Gilman Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Virgil Gilman Trail 3.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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