Illinois · Hiking

Bailey Bridge Trail

Bailey Bridge TrailPhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
4.8 mi
round trip
30 ft
climb
662 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Is Bailey Bridge Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. It doesn't name Bailey Bridge Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bailey Bridge Trail is a 4.8-mile out-and-back hike on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises about 30 feet from a starting point near 625 feet to a high of 662 feet, with the same amount of descent on the way back. It is a moderate route, and the trip takes about 1.5 hours. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 76°F, with July the warmest month at about 84°F. Several other trails sit close by. Hedgeapple Trail is about 1.6 miles away and Twin Oaks Trail about 2 miles. Group 63 Trail and Henslow Trail are each roughly 3.3 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Bailey Bridge Trail

    Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      31° / 17°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 20°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      47° / 29°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      60° / 39°

      12 wet

    5. May

      71° / 49°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 60°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 64°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 63°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      76° / 55°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 43°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 32°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 22°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Joliet Brandon Rd Dam, IL, 8.9 mi away at 543 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Twin Oaks TrailPhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Twin Oaks Trail

~3 min drive

11.60-mile out-and-back hike in Illinois with 90 ft of elevation gain.

Prairie Creek Woods TrailPhoto: Joe K Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Prairie Creek Woods Trail

~11 min drive

1.24-mile out-and-back trail in Illinois with 82 ft of elevation gain.

Yellow LoopPhoto: Darek214, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Yellow Loop

~40 min drive

8.06-mile loop trail in Illinois with 766 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Henslow Trail

~6 min drive

10-mile out-and-back hike in Illinois with 78 ft gain.

Tan TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tan Trail

~38 min drive

0.53-mile point-to-point trail in Illinois with 51 ft elevation gain

Orange Unpaved LoopPhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Orange Unpaved Loop

~40 min drive

4-mile unpaved point-to-point trail through Illinois countryside.

HIKE

Adt - Illinois - I - Seg 1

~15 min drive

A 39.55-mile point-to-point Illinois trail for experienced hikers.

Black TrailPhoto: enn-here, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Black Trail

~38 min drive

Short point-to-point trail under 1 mile in Illinois.

Main TrailPhoto: Joe K Gage, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Main Trail

~41 min drive

9.49-mile loop trail in Illinois with 675 ft elevation gain.

Brown TrailPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Brown Trail

~39 min drive

Brown Trail is a 0.36-mile point-to-point trail in Illinois with 6 ft of elevation gain.