Butler Lake–Butler Lake Loop, 3 sights
12.4 mi · ▲ 225 ft · 4 hr 15 min
Butler Lake–Butler Lake Loop, 3 sights is a 12.4-mile out-and-back in Kettle Moraine State Forest near New Prospect, WI. The route reaches Butler Lake at the turnaround, 6.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 225 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Butler Lake–Butler Lake Loop, 3 sights
12.4 mi · ▲ 225 ft · 4 hr 15 min
Elevation 976–1,092 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.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, heading SE.
- 4.4 miTurn left onto Butler Lake Loop, heading E.
- 1.1 miReach Butler Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, heading SW.
- 3.8 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Lake to Lake Bike Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Brown Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading W.
- 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 0.3 mi in (~9 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:19 PM — 5 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail & Red/Purple Trail 14.2 mi · ▲ 379 ft
- Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop & Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail 9.5 mi · ▲ 198 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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