Lake Rebecca Dirt Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Fishing · Lake · Swimming · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This route takes you on a loop around Lake Rebecca and out to the northeast corner of the park. Along the way, you'll encounter tall stands of Big Woods forest, skirt extensive wetlands and marshes, see the south end of the lake, and pass expanses of prairie. In this four season climate, the nature of this hike changes seasonally. The forests blaze with color in the Fall and the prairie with colorful wildflowers in Spring and summer. You'll pass Kasma Marsh, which is the longest continuous Trumpeter Swan nesting site in the Park District.

Maps are posted at most major trail junctions. Designated trail uses in the park can change between summer and winter (there are separate maps). The description here is only for summer use. You may encounter equestrians on these trails, so practice proper trail etiquette.

Check the park's website to see if any hunting is being allowed and, if so when. It's a good idea to wear a piece of blaze orange clothing if hiking in the Fall.

A paved trail circles Lake Rebecca, but this route stays mostly on the unpaved wide grass hiking and equestrian trail. It follows an unpaved road for a short distance at the start and then again later on so you can get a view of the south end of the lake.

This route starts at the parking lot south of the park entrance (this is also parking for the singletrack trails) and follows an unpaved road south through the singletrack bike area. About 0.8 mi south of the parking lot, leave the dirt road and go about 200 feet through the forest to a singletrack trail that you can follow a short distance to the paved trail.

Follow the paved trail north and then east along the south end of Lake Rebecca. About 0.4 mi after crossing gravel Lake Rebecca Road East, you can rejoin the unpaved trail and follow it north, past a picnic table, for 1.5 mi to a trail junction near Rattail Lake. Turn right here, and follow the unpaved trail as it loops back west along the northern boundary of the park. Continue on the unpaved trail west and then south to where it crosses the paved park entrance road. Follow this road back to the parking lot.