AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Westwood Park

River Trail of Illinois

11.6 mi · ▲ 282 ft · 4 hr

River Trail of Illinois is an 11.6-mile out-and-back in Westwood Park near Gardena, IL. It climbs 282 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi476 – 725 ft11.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.63253, -89.48003
Nearest town Gardena, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

River Trail of Illinois

11.6 mi · ▲ 282 ft · 4 hr

Elevation 475–725 ft

Out & Back · Westwood Park

Trailhead: 40.63253, -89.48003

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:44 AM · sunset 7:00 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  4. 0.5 miTurn right onto River Trail of Illinois, heading W.
  5. 5.3 miReach River Trail of Illinois, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 5.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  7. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  8. 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 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/river-trail-of-illinois-out-back-19-km-393b

Trail surface

100% paved

Weather

Sunrise 6:44 AMSunset 7:00 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.1 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 5:23 PM for the 7:00 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Gardena, Illinois