Description - Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit is located in the middle of the Kettle Moraine, a strip of glacial landforms which extends through southeastern Wisconsin to Lake Winnebago. This provides for a beautiful glacial remnant landscape of kames, kettles and eskers. The Forest is named after the 446-acre and 40-foot-deep spring-fed kettle, Pike Lake. Powder Hill, a large glacial kame, also provides the opportunity for a great hike and view.
Attractions
- Visitors to Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit enjoy camping at Pike Lake from early May through the third weekend in October. There are 32 campsites, 24 wooded and 8 open. Facilities available include shower building, flush toilets, water fountains, dump station and picnic tables and fire rings at each site. Camping reservations are available online or by calling a toll-free reservation number. Contact information is listed below. Pike Lake provides a great place for boating and fishing for the entire family. There is not a boat launch within the Forest boundaries. However, there is one public and two private landings located across the State Forest. The lake is named for its excellent Walleye Pike fishing, but there are also several other types of game fish found in the lake. Anglers can either fish from boats or from shore, outside the marked swimming area. Swimming is also available for the entire family at Pike Lake. The Forest has a 500-foot sandy beach with a designated swimming area. This swimming area is marked off with white buoys between Memorial Day through Labor Day. A playground is located on the north end of the beach. A large field at the south end of the beach is open for outdoor summer sports including softball, volleyball, and Frisbee. Picnic tables and grills are available throughout the picnic areas. A small shelter is also open for use on the south end of the beach. The shelter is reservable. All other areas are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pike Lake offers several miles of hiking trails. Nine different hiking trails provide hikers with a variety of topography and scenery. Users will pass through wetlands, maple, oak, and basswood stands, open prairies, and a variety of glacial terrain. Some of the more popular trails include Black Forest Nature Trail - a self-guided 0.8-mile hike, Astronomy Trail - a half mile walk through the solar system, Powder Hill - the second highest point (1,350') in Southeastern Wisconsin affording spectacular views, and Ice Age Trail - part of the National Scenic Trail that explores approximately 475 miles through significant glacial heritage.
Recreation - Visitors to Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit enjoy camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, picnicking, and much more. Climate - Southeast Wisconsin has four distinct seasons with warm summers and long winters. January's average temperature is above 16 degrees F (-9 degrees C). Average July temperature is 85 degrees F (29 degrees C). During summer, temperatures can climb to above 90 degrees F (32 degrees C). The area's average yearly precipitation ranges from 32-34". Annual snowfalls in the Southeast Region can range from 20 - 50". Dressing in layers is a good way to remain comfortable in Wisconsin. Location -
Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit is located on Hwy. 60 between Hartford and Slinger, Wisconsin. It is approximately 25 miles north of Milwaukee, 60 miles east of Madison, and about 40 miles south of Fond du Lac. The Forest entrance is approximately 3 miles west of Hwy. 41, and 7 miles west of Hwy. 45.
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