AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

4.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 28 min

West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch is a 4.4-mile out-and-back in Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve near Wayne, IL. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi742 – 764 ft4.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.94786, -88.23747
Nearest town Wayne, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

West Trail via Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch

4.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 1 hr 28 min

Elevation 742–765 ft

Out & Back · Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve

Trailhead: 41.94786, -88.23747

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading NW.
  3. 1.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miBear left onto West Trail, heading W.
  5. 250 ftReach West Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  6. 300 ftBear right, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Elgin Branch, heading SE.
  8. 1.9 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/west-trail-out-back-7-km

Trail surface

89% gravel2% grass9% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 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 6:33 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.

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