Illinois · Hiking

Brown Trail

Brown TrailPhoto: CheepShot, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
one way
48 ft
climb
875 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Brown Trail is a short, easy hike of about 0.45 miles in the Dixie Fromm Briggs Prairie Nature Preserve in Illinois, on city-managed land. The route is a point-to-point walk with a steady climb from a low point of 803 feet to a high of 875 feet, a total gain of 48 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.05 miles in, with a grade of about 2 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Elgin show May highs around 70°F and September highs around 76°F, with July peaking near 84°F. The trail is a quick half-hour outing, and it sits close to several other short routes. Red Trail and Blue Trail are each about 0.1 mile away, and Orange Trail is about half a mile off. For a change of pace in winter, Snuffy's Trail, a cross-country ski route, lies about 2.3 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Brown 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

      30° / 14°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 17°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      59° / 37°

      12 wet

    5. May

      70° / 48°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      80° / 58°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 63°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      82° / 61°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      76° / 53°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      63° / 41°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      48° / 30°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 20°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Elgin, IL, 6 mi away at 763 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Red TrailPhoto: CheepShot, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Red Trail

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors