AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve

Great Western Trail & West Branch DuPage River Trail

15.3 mi · ▲ 216 ft · 5 hr 12 min

Great Western Trail & West Branch DuPage River Trail is a 15.3-mile out-and-back in Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve near Bartlett, IL. It is mostly level, with 216 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi722 – 801 ft16.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.97410, -88.18701
Nearest town Bartlett, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Great Western Trail & West Branch DuPage River Trail

15.3 mi · ▲ 216 ft · 5 hr 12 min

Elevation 720–802 ft

Out & Back · Hawk Hollow Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.97410, -88.18701

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:39 AM · sunset 6:55 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  6. 0.8 miContinue straight onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading SW.
  7. 0.8 miTurn left onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading S.
  8. 1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  10. 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
  11. 2.7 miSharp right onto Great Western Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading W.
  13. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Great Western Trail, heading W.
  14. 1.1 miReach West Branch DuPage River Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading E.
  16. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Great Western Trail, heading E.
  17. 0.4 miSharp left onto West Branch DuPage River Trail, heading E.
  18. 4.2 miTurn right onto North Central DuPage Regional Trail, heading N.
  19. 1.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  20. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  22. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 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/west-branch-dupage-river-trail-out-back-25-km-69b2

Trail surface

42% paved40% gravel18% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:39 AMSunset 6:55 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 5:23 PM for the 6:55 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:24 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Bartlett, Illinois