Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.4 km / 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 15 m
- Typical duration
- 31 min
- Lake
- Forest
Best Forest Hikes in Illinois
The directory currently contains 49 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Illinois. Their average mapped distance is 3.9 km and average recorded ascent is 19 m (62 ft); the longest route in the set is 15.4 km.
This subset represents 30% of the 162 quality-checked routes in Illinois. Its average distance is 3.9 km, compared with 12.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 19 m (62 ft), versus 65 m (213 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.
These routes carry the forest tag. The data does not quantify canopy cover or guarantee shade along every section. Within this set, 41 routes (84%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 18 (37%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.
Data refreshed September 2026
Choose by the details
How do these routes differ?
A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.
Shortest mapped distance in this sample
1.9 km
Black Oak TrailCompare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.
Lowest recorded ascent in this sample
0 m
Black Oak Trail6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.
Return logistics
2 recorded loops
Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.
Plan the return journey →Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.
Trails
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.1 km / 2.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 19 m
- Typical duration
- 53 min
- Lake
- Forest
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 5.5 km / 3.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 62 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 15 min
- Forest
- Castle and ruins
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.6 km / 2.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 59 min
- Lake
- Forest
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 15.3 km / 9.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 65 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 17 min
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.0 km / 2.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 50 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 6.4 km / 4.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 78 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 28 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.8 km / 3.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 38 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 4 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.3 km / 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 30 min
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 3.7 km / 2.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 47 min
- Forest
Easy
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 9.3 km / 5.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 122 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 7 min
- Forest
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 3.1 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 53 m
- Typical duration
- 44 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 0.8 km / 0.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 22 m
- Typical duration
- 11 min
- Forest
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 11.8 km / 7.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 2 hr 28 min
- Forest
Moderate
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 3.2 km / 2.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 40 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.1 km / 1.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 26 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.5 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 31 m
- Typical duration
- 35 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 5.9 km / 3.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 12 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 15 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 1.2 km / 0.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8 m
- Typical duration
- 16 min
- Forest
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 15.4 km / 9.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 100 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 22 min
- Forest
Easy
Moderate
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 14.9 km / 9.3 mi
- Elevation gain
- 12 m
- Typical duration
- 3 hr 7 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.9 km / 3.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 85 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 9 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.8 km / 1.8 mi
- Typical duration
- 36 min
- River
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 1.6 km / 1.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 36 m
- Typical duration
- 24 min
- Mountain
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 1.8 km / 1.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 12 m
- Typical duration
- 23 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 0.9 km / 0.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 12 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 6.0 km / 3.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 32 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 19 min
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.6 km / 1.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 33 min
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.7 km / 2.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 19 m
- Typical duration
- 1 hr 1 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 1.9 km / 1.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 24 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 1.9 km / 1.2 mi
- Elevation gain
- 6 m
- Typical duration
- 24 min
- Forest
Easy
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 4.0 km / 2.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 9 m
- Typical duration
- 50 min
- Forest
Easy
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 2.4 km / 1.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 7 m
- Typical duration
- 30 min
- Forest
Easy
The shortlist, side by side
The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Difficulty | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Trail @ Grassy Lake Forest PreserveIllinois | 2.4 km | 15 m | 31 min | Easy | April to October |
| VA Sterne's Woods TrailIllinois | 4.1 km | 19 m | 53 min | Easy | April to October |
| Fort Sheridan Forest PreserveIllinois | 5.5 km | 62 m | 1 hr 15 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Yellow Trail @ Grassy Lake Forest PreserveIllinois | 4.6 km | 7 m | 59 min | Easy | April to October |
| Main TrailIllinois | 15.3 km | 65 m | 3 hr 17 min | Moderate | April to October |
| Black Oak TrailIllinois | 1.9 km | 0 m | 24 min | Easy | April to October |
| Black Paved TrailIllinois | 4.0 km | 6 m | 50 min | Easy | April to October |
| Black Unpaved TrailIllinois | 6.4 km | 78 m | 1 hr 28 min | Easy | April to October |
| Blue South Single TrackIllinois | 4.8 km | 38 m | 1 hr 4 min | Easy | April to October |
| Brown West TrailIllinois | 2.3 km | 7 m | 30 min | Easy | April to October |
Red Trail @ Grassy Lake Forest Preserve, VA Sterne's Woods Trail, Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.
Frequently asked questions
Plan with more confidence
All planning articles →Choosing a route
How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label
Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.
Read article →Understanding the map
Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb
Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.
Read article →Planning your day
Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace
Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.
Read article →Related guides
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