Illinois River
Illinois River Trail is a 27.4-mile trail in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, Oregon. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. It enters Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 42.5190° N, 124.0423° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 42.3778° N, 123.8037° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 9 segments.
The trail
| Length | 27.4 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Recreation Trail or other national designation |
| Trail numbers | 1161 |
| Forest | Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests (unit 0610) |
| States | Oregon |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 08/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 08/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Kalmiopsis WildernessFS · about 52% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
Illinois River East Trailhead No season published Wilderness regulations apply within Kalmiopsis Wilderness. | under 0.1 mi |
Illinois River West Trailhead No season published Wilderness regulations apply within Kalmiopsis Wilderness. | under 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireW Fork Evans Creek
49 mi from the trail midpoint · 283 acres · 75% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Oregon
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Illinois River Trail?
The Forest Service records 27.4 miles under this name in Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, the sum of 9 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Illinois River Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Illinois River Trail start?
The line begins at 42.5190° N, 124.0423° W and ends at 42.3778° N, 123.8037° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Illinois River East Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Illinois River Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Illinois River Trail?
Oak Flat Campground (under 0.1 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Illinois River Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Illinois River Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Illinois River Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Illinois River Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Recreation Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Illinois River Trail?
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests, Forest Service unit 0610. The trail is in Oregon.
Is there a fire near the Illinois River Trail?
The interagency feed shows 1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest W Fork Evans Creek at 49 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 9 segments named Illinois River in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0610. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.