AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

River Bend Forest Preserve

Sunset Lake–Shadow Lake, 4 lakes

2 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 40 min

Sunset Lake–Shadow Lake, 4 lakes is a 2-mile out-and-back in River Bend Forest Preserve near Mahomet, IL. The route passes River Bend Forest Preserve Beach, Sunset Lake, River Bend Forest Preserve Beach and Sunset Lake before reaching Shadow Lake at the turnaround, 1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi676 – 696 ft2.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.17990, -88.43362
Nearest town Mahomet, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sunset Lake–Shadow Lake, 4 lakes

2 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 40 min

Elevation 674–696 ft

Out & Back · River Bend Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 40.17990, -88.43362

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:56 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass River Bend Forest Preserve Beach.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Woodland Trail, heading E.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  5. 250 ftPass Sunset Lake.
  6. 50 ftPass River Bend Forest Preserve Beach.
  7. 0.2 miPass Sunset Lake.
  8. 0.6 miReach Sunset Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 50 ftPass Shadow Lake.
  10. 1 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/sunset-lake-shadow-lake-out-back-6-lakes-3-km-8ae8

Trail surface

99% gravel1% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:56 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:36 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:56 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:23 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Mahomet, Illinois