Sunfish Pond–Sterling Pond, 5 sights is a 4.1-mile out-and-back in Morton Arboretum near Lisle, IL. The route passes Sterling Pond and Sunfish Pond. It is mostly level, with 140 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi669 – 745 ft4.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Birch Trail 41.81239, -88.08419
Nearest town Lisle, IL
Directions
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Sunfish Pond–Sterling Pond, 5 sights
4.1 mi · ▲ 140 ft · 1 hr 26 min
Elevation 670–743 ft
Out & Back · Morton Arboretum
Trailhead: Birch Trail · 41.81239, -88.08419
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Transit-accessible: Warrenville & White Birch stop 445 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Prairie Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftPass Sterling Pond.
- 100 ftBear right onto Main Trail Loop 4, heading NE.
- 450 ftSharp left onto Main Trail Loop 3 and 4, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Main Trail Loop 3, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Main Trail Loop 1, heading SE.
- 0.1 miPass Sunfish Pond.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Thornhill Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miReach Sunfish Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Main Trail Loop 1, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Main Trail Loop 2, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Main Trail Loop 3, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Main Trail Loop 3 and 4, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Main Trail Loop 4, heading SW.
- 450 ftBear left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Prairie Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Acre Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 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
29% dirt11% grass60% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:53 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:15 PM — 6 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Warrenville & White Birch stop 445 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Birch Trail Trailhead
- Millenium Oak–Sterling Pond, 3 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 56 ft
- Arbor Lake–Sterling Pond, 5 lakes 3.9 mi · ▲ 110 ft
- Hemlock Hill–Spruce Hill, 9 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Sterling Pond–Acre Trail, 4 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 28 ft
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Hikes near Lisle, Illinois