more stats
3.7 miles
Distance
350 ft
Climb
-298 ft
Descent
00:27:07
Avg time
53 ft
Altitude change
610 ft
Altitude min
717 ft
Altitude max
613 ft
Altitude start
666 ft
Altitude end
0.3%
Grade
-16.8%
Grade max
15.8%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
4,347 ft
Distance flat
00:27:07
Avg time

Stonehouse (BLACK) Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
    • Snowshoe
    • Nordic Ski
  • Riding Area
    Palos Forest Preserve
    Willow Springs, Illinois
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    95 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in Trail Running
    • 85 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
    • 5 in Snowshoeing
    • 5 in Nordic Skiing
    • 100 in Winter Fat Biking
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
    • 80 in Gravel Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #16398 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #27525 in Trail Running
    • #23181 in Hiking
    • #861 in Horseback
    • #1711 in Snowshoeing
    • #3706 in Nordic Skiing
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC, DJ, Fat, Adaptive MTB, CX, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Family Friendly
    Yes
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    Forest Preserve District of Cook County

A heavily wooded twisting trail with a number of shallow ravine and swale crossings. Trail is well maintained by CAMBr. Can get wet and slippery following rain. This trail is comprised of a trail that was known as Out and Back but was renamed Stonehouse after the east and west extensions were added - the western extension which goes by an old CCC structure nicknamed The Stonehouse.

Adaptive Bike Info
aMTB Blue Rating: Intermediate features and steeper terrain.
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 9 rides
  • 15 miles average
6 Months
  • 505 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 3,593 rides
  • Last: Sep 24, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on Aug 27, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.99 (8 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (12,905)
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      Directions to stonehouse-black trailhead (41.698200, -87.894610)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      37 more »
      mtb
      74 |
      Aug 10, 2024 @ 7:18am
      Aug 10, 2024
      mtb
      113 |
      Jun 28, 2023 @ 12:44pm
      Jun 28, 2023
      mtb
      94 |
      Jun 28, 2023 @ 12:43pm
      Jun 28, 2023
      mtb
      126 |
      Jun 28, 2023 @ 12:42pm
      Jun 28, 2023

      Videos

      6 more »
      Chicago's Premier MTB Trails | Palos Forest...
      mtb
      21:50 | 203 | Jul 26, 2025 , Willow Springs
      Chicago Mountain Biking // STONEHOUSE // Palos...
      mtb
      9:04 | 660 | Aug 26, 2022 , Willow Springs
      youtuber First Timers Guide to Palos - Stonehouse Trail
      mtb
      12:53 | 577 | Apr 26, 2021 , Willow Springs
      Stone House Black Trail
      mtb
      16:38 | 338 | Dec 6, 2020 , Willow Springs

      Technical Trail Features (TTF)

      Routes with this trail

      107
      Palos Loop - Clockwise
      15 miles • 1,240 ft • 11 • Loop •
      A clockwise route around the majority of Palos singletrack starting at lot at Resurrection Trail and...
      111
      Do it all 15 miler
      15 miles • 1,215 ft • 11 • Loop •
      This route includes the new and incorporates all of the favorite routes.
      96
      Palos with Canal Loop
      ★ 5.0 • 15 miles • 935 ft • 26 •
      Dynamite and are rocky and very difficult, the rest is a mix of intermediate and advanced.
      4.0 ★★★★★
      8 Ratings
      5 ★ 13%
      4 ★ 75%
      3 ★ 13%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      7 Reviews & Comments

      RonWF
      I see a dotted line just east of the confluence of the Wolf Road Connector and Wolf Road itself that that goes first south and then southeast to the Stonehouse cabin. Is that a hiking trail?
      Kdub91712 Kdub91712
      Today near the actual stone house on the trail there was broken glass everywhere, well into the start of the trail. Watch yourselves...
      GreenGeek
      Most of these trails but particularly on this one, I wouldn't recommend wearing really dark shades. It is deep in the woods. Even on a sunny day, it's hard to see, it's so shady. Lots of turns are blind, announce yourself to oncoming riders.

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      Nearby Trails

      Palos Forest Preserve

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Stonehouse (BLACK) located?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) is located in Palos Forest Preserve, Willow Springs, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Palos Forest Preserve trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 41.6982, -87.89461.
      ▼ How hard is Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.3%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) has 350 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 298 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 610 ft to 717 ft.
      ▼ Is Stonehouse (BLACK) a point to point trail?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) is 3.7 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Stonehouse (BLACK). Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access Stonehouse (BLACK)? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Stonehouse (BLACK) are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 30 minutes to ride Stonehouse (BLACK). The trail is 3.7 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Stonehouse (BLACK)?
      Stonehouse (BLACK) is a very popular trail. There have been 12,614 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 12,905 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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