Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail & Red/Purple Trail
14.2 mi · ▲ 379 ft · 4 hr 55 min
Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail & Red/Purple Trail is a 14.2-mile out-and-back in Kettle Moraine State Forest near New Prospect, WI. It climbs 379 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 67/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail & Red/Purple Trail
14.2 mi · ▲ 379 ft · 4 hr 55 min
Elevation 960–1,067 ft
Out & Back · Kettle Moraine State Forest
Trailhead: 43.62065, -88.20162
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:56 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Yellow Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Brown Trail, heading SE.
- 100 ftBear right onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Lake to Lake Bike Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 4.4 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Loop 4, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear right onto Red Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Red/Purple Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear left onto Loop 4, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Red/Purple Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Red/Purple/Green Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Red/Purple Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Loop 2, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Red/Purple Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Red/Purple/Green Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Red/Purple Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Loop 4, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Red/Purple Trail, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Red Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Loop 4, heading NW.
- 0.9 miSharp right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, heading W.
- 4.7 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Lake to Lake Bike Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Brown Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.6 mi in (~167 min). Leave by 3:49 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:56 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop & Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail 9.5 mi · ▲ 198 ft
- Butler Lake–Butler Lake Loop, 3 sights 12.4 mi · ▲ 225 ft
- Forest Lake–Little Mud Lake, 5 lakes 13.9 mi · ▲ 390 ft
- Vista Sunset Spot & Yellow Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 194 ft
- Auburn Lake & Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 57 ft
- Green Trail & Red Trail Loop via Yellow Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 56 ft
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