AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Aurora West Forest Preserve

Virgil Gilman Trail

5.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 56 min

Virgil Gilman Trail is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Aurora West Forest Preserve near Prestbury, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi666 – 699 ft6.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.78248, -88.43093
Nearest town Prestbury, IL
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Virgil Gilman Trail

5.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 56 min

Elevation 665–700 ft

Out & Back · Aurora West Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.78248, -88.43093

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:41 AM · sunset 6:55 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 100 ftTurn left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SE.
  3. 2.5 miSharp right, heading E.
  4. 350 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading SE.
  5. 150 ftBear left onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading SW.
  6. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  7. 0.3 miBear right onto Virgil Gilman Access Trail, heading NW.
  8. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  9. 250 ftContinue straight onto Virgil Gilman Trail, heading N.
  10. 2.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 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-9-km-47ce

Trail surface

94% paved1% gravel1% boardwalk4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:41 AMSunset 6:55 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~41 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 6:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Prestbury, Illinois