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2.4 miles
Distance
25 ft
Climb
-10 ft
Descent
00:10:03
Avg time
16 ft
Altitude change
632 ft
Altitude min
654 ft
Altitude max
632 ft
Altitude start
650 ft
Altitude end
0.1%
Grade
-1.6%
Grade max
6.2%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
1,480 ft
Distance down
1,234 ft
Distance flat
00:10:03
Avg time
Bailey Bridge Trail Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- Gravel Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
- Snowshoe
- Nordic Ski
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Riding AreaMidewin National Tallgrass Prairie
Elwood, Illinois -
Ref Number#0915009
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Difficulty Rating
-
Local Popularity95 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 5 in Trail Running
- 5 in Hiking
- 5 in Snowshoeing
- 5 in Nordic Skiing
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Hiking SAC ScaleT1 Hiking
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Trail TypeGravel Path
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Bike TypeGravel
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DirectionBoth DirectionsPopular Direction Shown
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Climb DifficultyGreen
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Physical RatingEasy
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Trail VisibilityAlways easy to follow
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Dogs AllowedYes
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Land Owner
The Bailey Bridge Trail is a 2.5-mile trail that begins near the Twin Oaks Trail and ends at the junction that connects the Wauponsee Glacial Trail with Twin Oaks Trail. Unlike other hikes at Midewin, the Bailey Bridge Trail is not a loop trail, but it intersects with numerous other trails, which provides visitors opportunities to extend their hikes and create their own path back to the trailhead.
Immediately upon starting your walk you will go past a small pioneer cemetery, most likely established in 1877 by a local homesteader from Pennsylvania. After passing the cemetery you will be brought to the bunkers, or “igloos” as they are fondly referred to.
There are several bridge crossings along the trail. Interpretive signs provide visitors with the history of the 140-foot long Bailey Bridge, a portable, pre-fabricated truss bridge developed by the British during WWII for military use. The bridges saw extensive use by the British, Canadian and United States military engineering units during WWII. Originally there were two Bailey Bridges at Joliet, but they fell into disrepair and could not be salvaged. The existing bridge is a surplus bridge that was purchased and assembled in place of one of the unsalvageable original bridges. The existing bridge was built by Thirty-nine volunteers over the course of five days, taking 928 man-hours to finish.
source: Midewin Tallgrass Prairie
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 1 rides
- 16 miles avg distance
All
- 2 rides
- Last: Jun 6, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
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Directions to bailey-bridge-trail trailhead
(41.379770, -88.057650)
Photos
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Nearby Trails
- Turtle Pond Trail 2 miles
- Twin Oaks Connector 2 miles
- Hoff Road Trailhead Parking Loop 2 miles
- Hoff Road Trailhead 2 miles
- Twin Oaks Trail 3 miles
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie
- By Trek5900SL & contributors
- #449483 - 510 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bailey Bridge Trail
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Where is Bailey Bridge Trail located?
Bailey Bridge Trail is located in Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Elwood, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 41.37977, -88.05765.
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What is the elevation gain for Bailey Bridge Trail?
Bailey Bridge Trail has 25 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 10 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 632 ft to 654 ft.
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Is Bailey Bridge Trail a point to point trail?
Bailey Bridge Trail is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is gravel path.
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How long is Bailey Bridge Trail?
Bailey Bridge Trail is 2.4 miles long. The trail type is gravel path.
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