Illinois · Hiking

Heather Valley

Heather ValleyPhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.8 mi
loop
167 ft
climb
794 ft
high point
Loop
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Heather Valley is a short, easy loop hike in Castle Rock State Park in Illinois, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail is about 1.8 miles long, with a low point of 674 feet and a high of 794 feet. The climb is gentle, with a total elevation gain of 167 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.3 miles in, where the grade reaches 12 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 77°F, with July peaking near 85°F. The Wildlife Viewing trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and Forest Ridge and Timber Edge are both within half a mile. For a longer outing, Big Jump Prairie is about 4.5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Heather Valley

    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° / 13°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 17°

      9 wet

    3. Mar

      48° / 28°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      61° / 38°

      12 wet

    5. May

      73° / 49°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 59°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 62°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      83° / 59°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      77° / 51°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      64° / 40°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      48° / 29°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      35° / 19°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Polo 5nw, IL, 12.9 mi away at 856 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors