Hiking Project Logo

A good introduction to the Palos West system.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

7.4

Miles

11.8

KM

Point to Point

739' 225 m

High

615' 188 m

Low

625' 190 m

Up

624' 190 m

Down

3%

Avg Grade (2°)

17%

Max Grade (10°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake

Closed for one weekend in August for the Palos Meltdown mountain bike race.

Overview

This great loop hike is made up of the Blue Trail North, Green Trail, Orange Loop, and Campground Trail.

Need to Know

Water is available in the Bullfrog Lake Campground office.

Description

The trail ranges from winding, rooty singletrack to wide, limestone horse trail to a short paved section near Archer Avenue.

Start at the Bullfrog Lake parking area and head out on the Blue Trail North. A bigger downhill leads you to the intersection of the Green Trail. Take the right fork at the Green Trail along a wide horse path to another fork with the Orange Loop. Take the right fork again and the trail switches back to singletrack.

Keep following the Orange Loop all the way to Wolf Road Woods parking area and through the picnic area to the horse trail section of the Orange Loop. Follow the orange trail to another fork where you'll take the right fork to the Green Trail. Follow the singletrack down a grassy hill back to the Bullfrog Lake parking area.

This area has a lot of mountain bike traffic, so be vigilant as bikers may be coming from either direction.

Flora & Fauna

It's very common to see squirrels, garter snakes, chipmunks and deer on this route. In the winter, you'll see the occasional coyote.

Contacts

Shared By:

Dave Caldwell

Trail Ratings

  4.4 from 15 votes

#956

Overall
  4.4 from 15 votes
5 Star
47%
4 Star
47%
3 Star
7%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#8

in Illinois

#956

Overall
46 Views Last Month
14,738 Since Aug 15, 2016
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

0%
7%
36%
7%
50%
0%

Photos

Blue Trail in the fall.
Aug 12, 2016 near Burr Ridge, IL
Tomahawk Slough off of the Orange Trail.
Aug 12, 2016 near Burr Ridge, IL
Blue Trail in the fall.
Aug 12, 2016 near Burr Ridge, IL

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

May 5, 2020
Ben L
Had to cut it short due to it raining! But great trail! Little muddy at times. But totally do able even when it's pouring. 3.5mi
Dec 22, 2019
Kevin Iverson
Oct 8, 2019
Javier Lopez
7.4mi — 2h 30m
Apr 6, 2019
Becky Hunter
Super muddy from the rainy day prior 7.4mi
Mar 19, 2019
Bil Boyd
Afterwaork hike
Mar 16, 2019
Bil Boyd
41 degrees. Thank god the mud was mostly still frozen, could have been a messy outing.
Mar 3, 2019
Letty Gonzalez
2.5mi
Oct 28, 2018
kevin Knight
Welcome

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started