AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Bliss Woods Forest Preserve

Virgil Gilman Trail

7.2 mi · ▲ 28 ft · 2 hr 25 min

Virgil Gilman Trail is a 7.2-mile out-and-back in Bliss Woods Forest Preserve near Sugar Grove, IL. It is mostly level, with 28 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi666 – 705 ft7.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Creekside trail 41.78124, -88.44239
Nearest town Sugar Grove, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Virgil Gilman Trail

7.2 mi · ▲ 28 ft · 2 hr 25 min

Elevation 665–706 ft

Out & Back · Bliss Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: Creekside trail · 41.78124, -88.44239

Weather Sep 20: Heavy rain, high 70°F / low 62° · precip 100% · wind 11 mph · sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:56 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start on Creekside trail, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miBear left onto Old Oak Road trail, heading N.
  3. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading NE.
  5. 2.9 miSharp right, heading SE.
  6. 350 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading E.
  7. 200 ftBear left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  9. 0.3 miBear right onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading NW.
  10. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  11. 250 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading NW.
  12. 2.8 miTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  14. 250 ftBear right onto Creekside trail, heading NW.
  15. 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/virgil-gilman-trail-out-back-12-km-f126

Trail surface

92% paved3% grass1% gravel1% boardwalk3% unspecified

Weather

Heavy rainTemperature 70°F62°
Precip100%Wind11 mphUV1Humidity90%
Rained 0.8″ yesterday (3.6″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
75°60° 12 AM: 58% rain1 AM: 78% rain2 AM: 78% rain3 AM: 92% rain4 AM: 100% rain5 AM: 100% rain6 AM: 89% rain7 AM: 74% rain8 AM: 74% rain9 AM: 68% rain10 AM: 46% rain11 AM: 43% rain12 PM: 60% rain1 PM: 68% rain2 PM: 50% rain3 PM: 28% rain4 PM: 11% rain5 PM: 10% rain6 PM: 5% rain7 PM: 6% rain8 PM: 8% rain9 PM: 4% rain10 PM: 2% rain11 PM: 3% rain
Sunrise 6:40 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:56 PM
Mon 63°58° 24%
Tue 59°51°
Wed 62°51°
Thu 64°54°
Fri 69°54°
Sat 59°56°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.4 mi in (~58 min). Leave by 5:38 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead

More from Creekside trail Trailhead

Hikes near Sugar Grove, Illinois