South Lake & McHenry County Prairie Trail
11.6 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 3 hr 57 min
South Lake & McHenry County Prairie Trail is an 11.6-mile out-and-back near Crystal Lake, IL. The route reaches South Lake. It is mostly level, with 161 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
South Lake & McHenry County Prairie Trail
11.6 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 3 hr 57 min
Elevation 739–914 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 42.24127, -88.31584
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:56 PM
Transit-accessible: Crystal Lake Metra Station stop 325 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on McHenry County Prairie Trail, heading SW.
- 1.5 miPass South Lake.
- 4.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miReach South Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 5.5 miArrive 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 0.5 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 6:24 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:23 PM — 1 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Crystal Lake Metra Station stop 325 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- South Lake & McHenry County Prairie Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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