AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rock Cut State Park

Willow Creek Trail

6 mi · ▲ 167 ft · 2 hr 5 min

Willow Creek Trail is a 6-mile out-and-back in Rock Cut State Park near Harlem, IL. It is mostly level, with 167 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi758 – 889 ft6.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.34118, -89.01184
Nearest town Harlem, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Willow Creek Trail

6 mi · ▲ 167 ft · 2 hr 5 min

Elevation 758–890 ft

Out & Back · Rock Cut State Park

Trailhead: 42.34118, -89.01184

Weather Sep 20: Light rain, high 67°F / low 59° · precip 80% · wind 13 mph · sunrise 6:42 AM · sunset 6:59 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Woodward Way, heading E.
  5. 0.2 miSharp right onto Zenith Parkway, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right onto Willow Creek Trail, heading NE.
  7. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  8. 250 ftSharp right, heading E.
  9. 0.9 miTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  11. 0.5 miTurn right, heading E.
  12. 0.5 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  14. 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  16. 0.9 miSharp left, heading S.
  17. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  18. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Zenith Parkway, heading W.
  19. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  20. 250 ftContinue straight onto Woodward Way, heading SW.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  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/willow-creek-trail-out-back-10-km-aee6

Trail surface

78% dirt8% paved14% unspecified

Weather

Light rainTemperature 67°F59°
Precip80%Wind13 mphUV1Humidity87%
Rained 2.4″ yesterday (4″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°55° 12 AM: 31% rain1 AM: 50% rain2 AM: 37% rain3 AM: 51% rain4 AM: 74% rain5 AM: 80% rain6 AM: 71% rain7 AM: 76% rain8 AM: 76% rain9 AM: 77% rain10 AM: 56% rain11 AM: 62% rain12 PM: 47% rain1 PM: 37% rain2 PM: 40% rain3 PM: 36% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 5% rain6 PM: 6% rain7 PM: 6% rain8 PM: 5% rain9 PM: 2% rain10 PM: 2% rain11 PM: 4% rain
Sunrise 6:42 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:59 PM
Mon 61°55°
Tue 60°50°
Wed 64°48°
Thu 65°51°
Fri 69°55°
Sat 60°56°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~24 min). Leave by 6:15 PM for the 6:59 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Harlem, Illinois