Purple Single Track Loop

The Purple Single Track Loop is an easy, 1.95-mile hike within Paw Paw Woods Nature Preserve in Illinois, a regional agency-managed preserve in the state's northwest corner. The route starts and ends on single track, with a gentle climb from about 660 feet to about 720 feet, a total gain of about 91 feet, and the steepest stretch at about 1.5 miles into the loop, where the grade reaches about 7%. The trail is close to several other routes in the preserve. The Farm Pond Trail is about 0.9 miles away, the Black Paved Trail is about a mile off, and the Blue North Trail and Orange Unpaved Trail are each about 1.1 miles away, making it easy to extend a visit into a longer outing on foot. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 73°F and September highs around 80°F, while July peaks near 90°F. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the loop, so its figures apply here as well.