Kettle Moraine State Forest Photo: Joshua Mayer from Madison, WI, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0
United States › Wisconsin

Kettle Moraine State Forest

ByWilderness Experts

Fast facts

  • Size: about 30,000 acres (121 km²) in the Northern Unit, the first and largest of the forest’s units
  • Trail link: the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, with backpack shelters
  • Campsites: more than 350, including backpack sites
  • Gateway: Campbellsport and Kewaskum
  • Managed by: the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The landscape

The Kettle Moraine is a textbook of glacial landforms left where two lobes of the last ice sheet met: steep kames, kettle lakes, long eskers and rolling moraines, covered in hardwood forest and prairie. The Henry S. Reuss Ice Age Visitor Center explains the geology. Deer, sandhill cranes and many birds live here.

Best time to go

Spring and fall are ideal for hiking, with colour in mid-October. Summer brings swimming and camping. Winter brings groomed ski trails.

We have no photo gallery for Kettle Moraine State Forest yet. If you have been, share a photo and we will credit you.Sign in to share a photo

Getting there and around

Highway 67, the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, winds through the Northern Unit past campgrounds, beaches and trailheads. The Ice Age Trail runs the length of the unit. The forest’s Southern Unit, near Eagle, is managed separately.

Things to do

Backpackers hike the Ice Age Trail between shelters. Day hikers climb Parnell Tower and walk nature trails. Mountain bikers ride the New Fane trails, and winter brings cross-country skiing.

Staying safe

Check for ticks and learn to recognise poison ivy. Wear bright colours during hunting seasons. Trails over kames are short but steep. Leave a trip plan for backpacking trips.

Know before you go

A vehicle admission sticker is required, and backpack shelters must be reserved. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm conditions and reservations with the Wisconsin DNR before you go.

Navigation
Coordinates
43.6429, -88.1282
Magnetic declination
4.0° W (2026)

Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.

How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass

50 places in Kettle Moraine State Forest

A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.

Getting there 1

Visitor centre

On the trail 18

Route

Campgrounds

Huts and shelters

Picnic site

Sights 31

Viewpoint

Lakes

Peaks

Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).

Trip types
Day hikeCar campingWeekend backpackingCyclingWinter trip

Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →

Terrain
ForestPrairie grasslandLakes
Key hazards
TicksPoison ivyHunting seasonsWinter cold
Best seasons
Spring, Summer, Fall (foliage), Winter (skiing)
Difficulty
Easy to moderate
Access / trailheads
The Northern Unit lies between Kewaskum and Glenbeulah, off Highway 67 near Campbellsport, about an hour north of Milwaukee.
Water
Water at developed areas; treat natural water.
Cell / satellite coverage
Good across most of the forest.
Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
Emergencies: 911.
Permits & regulations
A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required. Campsites, including backpack shelters on the Ice Age Trail, are reserved through the Wisconsin DNR (1-888-936-7463).
Leave No Trace
Camp only at reserved shelters and sites, stay on trails across glacial landforms, and pack out all waste.
Conditions by month

October This month

Average high58°F(15°C)15°C(58°F)
Average low39°F(4°C)4°C(39°F)
Rainfall3 in(75 mm)75 mm(3 in)
Daylight, mid-month11 h 5 minSunrise 7:05 a.m., sunset 6:10 p.m.

What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.

Plan a trip here →

Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Plymouth Wwtp station, 10 miles (16 km)16 km (10 miles) away at 828 feet (252 m)252 m (828 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.

Before you go Conditions, permits, fire bans and closures change constantly — we summarise and link out, but always confirm with the managing agency first.
Official park website → Last verified 2026-09-21

Nearby parks

Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.

Looking for somewhere closer to home?
See every park and monument within a day’s drive of where you are.

Destinations near me →