Sugar River Wetlands State Natural Area
Epic Forest–Goose Lake, 10 lakes
8.6 mi · ▲ 209 ft · 2 hr 58 min
Epic Forest–Goose Lake, 10 lakes is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Sugar River Wetlands State Natural Area near Verona, WI. The route passes Voyager Lake, Cass Pond, The Moat and 9 more before reaching Fireman's Beach at the turnaround, 4.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 209 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Epic Forest–Goose Lake, 10 lakes
8.6 mi · ▲ 209 ft · 2 hr 58 min
Elevation 925–1,046 ft
Out & Back · Sugar River Wetlands State Natural Area
Trailhead: 42.99529, -89.56819
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:45 AM · sunset 6:59 PM
Transit-accessible: Northern Lights & Epic Staff C (SB) stop 387 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Voyager Lake.
- 50 ftPass Cass Pond.
- 50 ftPass The Moat.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass Lake Gandalf.
- 50 ftPass Dry Puddle.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miPass Dry Puddle.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Nessie's Pond.
- 50 ftPass The Pond Across the Way.
- 450 ftPass Epic Forest.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Farm Service Road, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Military Ridge State Trail, heading S.
- 2.1 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 400 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miPass Fireman's Beach.
- 450 ftPass Goose Lake.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miPass Goose Lake.
- 50 ftPass Fireman's Beach.
- 500 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miReach Epic Forest, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 400 ftBear right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 2.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Farm Service Road, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Hubble Road, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, 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 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 6:31 PM for the 6:59 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:22 PM — 5 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Northern Lights & Epic Staff C (SB) stop 387 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Cascade Aerator–Epic Forest, 9 lakes 11.7 mi · ▲ 165 ft
- Epic Forest–Lake Gandalf, 8 lakes 2.4 mi · ▲ 128 ft
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