Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 231 km / 144 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,295 m
- Typical duration
- 56 hr
- River
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Hard Hiking Trails in Illinois
The directory currently contains 24 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Illinois. Their average mapped distance is 66.3 km and average recorded ascent is 268 m (879 ft); the longest route in the set is 231 km.
This subset represents 15% of the 162 quality-checked routes in Illinois. Its average distance is 66.3 km, compared with 12.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 268 m (879 ft), versus 65 m (213 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.
This set contains routes rated hard or expert from their available distance and elevation measurements. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 24 (100%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) 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
44.5 km
ADT - Missouri - L - Seg 1Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.
Lowest recorded ascent in this sample
32 m
ADT - Illinois - I - Seg 36 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.
Return logistics
0 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
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 184 km / 115 mi
- Elevation gain
- 104 m
- Typical duration
- 43 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 127 km / 78.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 196 m
- Typical duration
- 30 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 123 km / 76.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 32 m
- Typical duration
- 29 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 177 km / 110 mi
- Elevation gain
- 329 m
- Typical duration
- 42 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 44.5 km / 27.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 247 m
- Typical duration
- 10 hr
- Mountain
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 34.0 km / 21.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 270 m
- Typical duration
- 8 hr 3 min
- River
- Mountain
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 52.5 km / 32.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 550 m
- Typical duration
- 12 hr
- River
- Mountain
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 40.2 km / 25.0 mi
- Elevation gain
- 472 m
- Typical duration
- 9 hr 51 min
- River
- Mountain
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 37.2 km / 23.1 mi
- Elevation gain
- 602 m
- Typical duration
- 9 hr 19 min
- River
- Mountain
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 68.8 km / 42.7 mi
- Elevation gain
- 36 m
- Typical duration
- 16 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 60.2 km / 37.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 68 m
- Typical duration
- 14 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 57.6 km / 35.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 123 m
- Typical duration
- 13 hr
- Mountain
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 33.7 km / 20.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 578 m
- Typical duration
- 8 hr 26 min
- River
- Mountain
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 63.6 km / 39.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 81 m
- Typical duration
- 14 hr
- Mountain
- Long-distance path
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 31.6 km / 19.6 mi
- Elevation gain
- 322 m
- Typical duration
- 7 hr 33 min
- River
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 28.8 km / 17.9 mi
- Elevation gain
- 388 m
- Typical duration
- 6 hr 59 min
- River
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 31.4 km / 19.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 30 m
- Typical duration
- 7 hr 4 min
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Hard
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 22.3 km / 13.8 mi
- Elevation gain
- 21 m
- Typical duration
- 4 hr 53 min
Expert
Illinois · United States
- Distance
- 36.1 km / 22.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 535 m
- Typical duration
- 8 hr 57 min
- River
- Mountain
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADT - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 2Illinois | 231 km | 1,295 m | 56 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 3Illinois | 184 km | 104 m | 43 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - Illinois - I - Seg 2Illinois | 127 km | 196 m | 30 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - Illinois - I - Seg 3Illinois | 123 km | 32 m | 29 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - Iowa - K - Seg 1Illinois | 177 km | 329 m | 42 hr | Expert | April to October |
| ADT - Missouri - L - Seg 1Illinois | 44.5 km | 247 m | 10 hr | Expert | April to October |
| River to River Segment 7 - Alto Pass to Devil's BackboneIllinois | 34.0 km | 270 m | 8 hr 3 min | Hard | April to October |
| River to River Segment 2 - Garden of the Gods to EddyvilleIllinois | 52.5 km | 550 m | 12 hr | Expert | April to October |
| River to River Segment 3 - Eddyville to U.S. 45Illinois | 40.2 km | 472 m | 9 hr 51 min | Expert | April to October |
| River to River Segment A - Battery Rock AlternateIllinois | 37.2 km | 602 m | 9 hr 19 min | Expert | April to October |
ADT - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 2, ADT - Illinois - I - Seg 3, ADT - Illinois - I - Seg 2 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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