Oregon · Hiking

Illinois River Trail

Illinois River TrailPhoto: Northwest Rafting Company, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
28.0 mi
one way
6,342 ft
climb
3,831 ft
high point
Point to point
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Illinois River Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Wild Rivers Ranger District. It doesn't name Illinois River Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Wild Rivers Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Illinois River Trail is a 28-mile point-to-point hike in the Wild Rivers Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests in southern Oregon, managed by the Forest Service. It is an expert-level route, with a total elevation gain of 6,342 feet and a total loss of 7,329 feet over the course of the trip. The trail starts at about 915 feet and climbs to a high point of 3,831 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 14.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 57 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Sexton Summit weather station, which sits at nearly the same elevation as the trail's high point, show July and August highs around 77°F with only about two wet days a month. Winter is cold and wet, with highs in the low 40s and 16 wet days a month from December through March. The trail is not open to bikes. York Butte and Shorty Noble Way are both hikes about 2.3 miles away, and the Illinois River offers canoeing about 3.7 miles off. For an overnight base, Spalding Pond campground is about 5.6 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Illinois River Trail

    Best months: May–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

      43° / 33°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      44° / 33°

      15 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 33°

      16 wet

    4. Apr

      52° / 35°

      14 wet

    5. May

      61° / 41°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      68° / 46°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 53°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 54°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 51°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 43°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      47° / 36°

      15 wet

    12. Dec

      41° / 32°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sexton Summit, OR, 27.2 mi away at 3,832 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated September 4, 2026; seen Sep 3, 2026 → lifted Oct 28, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Illinois River Corridor Seasonal Alcohol Prohibition

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated May 22, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Oct 15, 2026 · Forest Service

    • Illinois River Road Seasonal Restrictions

      Wild Rivers Ranger District · Order dated June 1, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

    • Stage 3 Public Use Fire Restrictions (Forest-wide)

      Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests · Order dated July 17, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Sep 3, 2026 · Forest Service

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors