AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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St. James Farm Preserve

Wood Duck Pond & Rathje Pond via Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch

6.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 2 hr 16 min

Wood Duck Pond & Rathje Pond via Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch is a 6.8-mile out-and-back in St. James Farm Preserve near Wheaton, IL. The route passes Rathje Pond before reaching Wood Duck Pond at the turnaround, 3.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly gravel. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi728 – 774 ft6.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch 41.85853, -88.11621
Nearest town Wheaton, IL
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Wood Duck Pond & Rathje Pond via Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch

6.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 2 hr 16 min

Elevation 729–774 ft

Out & Back · St. James Farm Preserve

Trailhead: Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch · 41.85853, -88.11621

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:40 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Transit-accessible: West & Indiana stop 459 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Rathje Pond.
  3. 2.8 miTurn right onto St. James Farm Bike Trail, heading NW.
  4. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  5. 400 ftTurn left, heading W.
  6. 300 ftReach Wood Duck Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  7. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  8. 400 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  9. 0.4 miTurn left onto Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch, heading SE.
  10. 2.8 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/wood-duck-pond-wood-duck-pond-out-back-3-lakes

Trail surface

95% gravel5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:40 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~53 min). Leave by 5:41 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: West & Indiana stop 459 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch Trailhead

Hikes near Wheaton, Illinois