Forest Lake–Little Mud Lake, 5 lakes
13.9 mi · ▲ 390 ft · 4 hr 50 min
Forest Lake–Little Mud Lake, 5 lakes is a 13.9-mile out-and-back in Kettle Moraine State Forest near New Prospect, WI. The route passes Little Mud Lake and Forest Lake before reaching Mallard Lake at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It climbs 390 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Forest Lake–Little Mud Lake, 5 lakes
13.9 mi · ▲ 390 ft · 4 hr 50 min
Elevation 976–1,094 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.
- 2 miTurn right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop Access, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop, heading SE.
- 2 miTurn left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Forest Lake Trail Loop Access, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Forest Lake Trail Loop, heading E.
- 0.7 miPass Little Mud Lake.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.6 miPass Forest Lake.
- 100 ftSharp right onto Ice Age Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftPass Mallard Lake.
- 0.1 miReach Forest Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miSharp left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Forest Lake Trail Loop, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Forest Lake Trail Loop Access, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop, heading W.
- 2 miTurn right onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Crooked Lake Trail Loop Access, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit Main Horse Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Lake to Lake Bike Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Yellow Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Brown Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Yellow Trail, heading N.
- 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 6.2 mi in (~156 min). Leave by 3:59 PM for the 6:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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
- Butler Lake–Butler Lake Loop, 3 sights 12.4 mi · ▲ 225 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
Get outside more
A wild hike near New Prospect, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near New Prospect, Wisconsin