AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Aurora West Forest Preserve

Turnstone Lake via Virgil Gilman Trail

9.2 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 3 hr 5 min

Turnstone Lake via Virgil Gilman Trail is a 9.2-mile out-and-back in Aurora West Forest Preserve near Prestbury, IL. The route reaches Turnstone Lake at the turnaround, 4.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi663 – 709 ft9.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Airfield Trail 41.77884, -88.39552
Nearest town Prestbury, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Turnstone Lake via Virgil Gilman Trail

9.2 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 3 hr 5 min

Elevation 662–708 ft

Out & Back · Aurora West Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Airfield Trail · 41.77884, -88.39552

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:41 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.3 miTurn left onto Red Pine Loop, heading NW.
  3. 0.3 miTurn left onto Great Prairie Trail, heading NW.
  4. 1.4 miTurn left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SE.
  5. 1.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  6. 350 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading SE.
  7. 200 ftBear left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.9 miBear left, heading SE.
  9. 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  10. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  11. 150 ftReach Turnstone Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  13. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 300 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 0.9 miBear right onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading NW.
  16. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  17. 250 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading NW.
  18. 1.1 miTurn right onto Great Prairie Trail, heading NW.
  19. 1.4 miTurn right onto Red Pine Loop, heading N.
  20. 0.3 miTurn right onto Access Trail, heading NE.
  21. 0.1 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/turnstone-lake-out-back-15-km

Trail surface

52% paved29% grass1% gravel1% boardwalk17% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:41 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:34 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:54 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:22 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Airfield Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Prestbury, Illinois