Ortonville State Recreation Area

Koester Lake & High Vista Trail

6 mi · ▲ 296 ft · 2 hr 9 min

Koester Lake & High Vista Trail is a 6-mile out-and-back in Ortonville State Recreation Area near Ortonville, MI. The route reaches Koester Lake at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It climbs 296 ft. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi942 – 1,066 ft6.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.89200, -83.44595
Nearest town Ortonville, MI

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Koester Lake & High Vista Trail

6 mi · ▲ 296 ft · 2 hr 9 min

Elevation 942–1,068 ft

Out & Back · Ortonville State Recreation Area

Trailhead: 42.89200, -83.44595

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 7:20 AM · sunset 7:37 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 450 ftSharp left, heading N.
  3. 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
  4. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  5. 0.8 miBear left, heading E.
  6. 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
  7. 400 ftBear right, heading E.
  8. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  10. 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  11. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  12. 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miReach Koester Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  15. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  16. 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
  17. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  19. 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
  20. 400 ftBear left, heading S.
  21. 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
  22. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  23. 150 ftSharp right, heading S.
  24. 0.1 miSharp right, heading W.
  25. 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

5% dirt95% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:20 AMSunset 7:37 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:16 PM for the 7:37 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:52 PM — 13 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

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