Ortonville State Recreation Area
Koester Lake & High Vista Trail
4.8 mi · ▲ 222 ft · 1 hr 43 min
Koester Lake & High Vista Trail is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Ortonville State Recreation Area near Kerr Hill, MI. The route reaches Koester Lake at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 222 ft of elevation gain. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Koester Lake & High Vista Trail
4.8 mi · ▲ 222 ft · 1 hr 43 min
Elevation 939–1,037 ft
Out & Back · Ortonville State Recreation Area
Trailhead: 42.91849, -83.43978
Weather Sep 21: sunrise 7:21 AM · sunset 7:35 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 400 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miReach Koester Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.6 miArrive 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 0.5 mi in (~12 min). Leave by 7:03 PM for the 7:35 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:01 PM — 2 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Algoe Lake via Tody Road 6.4 mi · ▲ 514 ft
- Fox Lake 5.9 mi · ▲ 474 ft
- Webester Lake 4.7 mi · ▲ 268 ft
- Pinnacle Point 3.4 mi · ▲ 300 ft
- Webester Lake–Koester Lake, 3 lakes 5.8 mi · ▲ 288 ft
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