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Moraine Hills State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,071 Google reviews · Running trail in McHenry, Illinois · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 10 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Moraine Hills State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
2,200+ acres of glacier-formed park with woods, wetlands & lakes for year-round sports & recreation.
What runners say about Moraine Hills State Park
“The walking trails are clean and scenic, perfect for hiking or photography.”
“With its picturesque lakes, lush forests, and winding trails, it's a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.”
“Moraine Hills State Park is absolutely beautiful — peaceful wetlands, colorful fall trees, and amazing wildlife!”
“It’s a nice big park, plenty of plants, animals, and an easy hike around the park, you walk around Lake Defiance, which was formed from a glacier thousands of years ago.”
Overall a nice trail. It took us around 2 hours to complete the loop around the lake ( red loop, 3.73 miles). We had a dog so our pace was bit slow. I reckon you could finish the trail in1.5 hours at a faster pace / without dog. The bike trail was a one way and I would surely come here in the future once I get my bike.
I recently cycled 25 miles within the park and dam. What a great park, met a gentlemen that worked there and he was very kind and informative. I really like the one way trails, it is very nice not having to worry about meeting a cyclist on a turn. Spent most of the day riding every trail we could find.
🌳🪷Moraine Hills State Park is a serene oasis nestled in northern Illinois. With its picturesque lakes, lush forests, and winding trails, it's a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.
It’s a nice big park, plenty of plants, animals, and an easy hike around the park, you walk around Lake Defiance, which was formed from a glacier thousands of years ago. You can walk, bike, hike,canoe, or kayak. Plenty of parking, they have an office for information, they have bathrooms.
Trail conditions & character
“With its picturesque lakes, lush forests, and winding trails, it's a haven for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.”
“75 miles and takes you through a part of the park, with many different elevations throughout and both paved and unpaved pathways.”
“I usually start my hike around the Main office area (Northern Woods) and end there, as there's tons of parking back there.”
“Moraine Hills State Park is absolutely beautiful — peaceful wetlands, colorful fall trees, and amazing wildlife!”
“75 miles and takes you through a part of the park, with many different elevations throughout and both paved and unpaved pathways.”
“75 miles and takes you through a part of the park, with many different elevations throughout and both paved and unpaved pathways.”
“The trails are a mix of asphalt and crushed gravel and there are a few elevation changes.”
“It took us around 2 hours to complete the loop around the lake ( red loop, 3.”
“There are multiple restrooms along the path, and also sheds with benches allowing you to sit and rest up on your way.”
“Most of the trails are flat but a bit rocky and a small portion was paved.”
“The boardwalk was by far the coolest part of the 3 mile journey.”
Plan your run at Moraine Hills State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance10 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitednr.illinois.gov
- Phone(815) 385-1624
- Social Instagram · Facebook
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