Kettle Moraine State Forest—Pike Lake Unit

• Area Attractions
• Boating/Fishing
• How to Get There
• Nature Programs
• Picnicking

The Pike Lake Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest is 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.

Park Map [PDF 468KB]

From the observation tower on Powder Hill, you can see Pike Lake and the glacial landscape.
DNR Photo

The forest is named after the 446-acre, spring-fed kettle: Pike Lake. Powder Hill, a large glacial kame, provides the opportunity for a great hike and view. Visitors can enjoy camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, picnicking, and much more within the forest.

Boating and Fishing

Pike Lake provides a great place for boating and fishing for the entire family. There is not a boat launch within the state forest boundaries. However, there are one public and two private landings across the lake from the state forest.

Pike Lake was 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 (tall white buoys).

Picnicking

The Pike Lake Unit has picnic tables and grills available throughout the picnic area. Two shelters can be reserved for group activities by phone or by mailing a form [PDF, 112KB] to the Forest Headquarters.

Nature Programs

Most Naturalist programs are offered from about Memorial Day through Labor Day.

How to Get There

Pike Lake is on State Highway 60 between Hartford and Slinger, Wisconsin. It is about 25 miles north of Milwaukee, 60 miles east of Madison, and 40 miles south of Fond du Lac. The forest entrance is about 3 miles west of US Highway 41 and 7 miles west of US Highway 45.

Any motor vehicle parking in the forest must have a Wisconsin State Parks vehicle admission sticker. You can buy stickers at the forest headquarters, beach area contact station, or self-registration pay stations throughout the forest.

Area Attractions and Lodging

The area around Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit has many motels, bed and breakfast inns, and privately-owned campgrounds, as well as trails, museums, historic sites, parks, swimming pools, downhill ski areas, and other recreational facilities. For information about them, see the following:

Washington County [exit DNR]—Accommodations, activities, dining, events, and more
Washington County Visitors Bureau [exit DNR], (888) 974-8687
Hartford Chamber of Commerce [exit DNR], (866) 222-5401
Village of Slinger [exit DNR], (262) 644-5265

For more information ask:

Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit
3544 Kettle Moraine Road
Hartford, WI 53027
(262) 670-3400