Michigan · Hiking

Clark Lake

17.1 mi
loop
155 ft
climb
1,795 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Clark Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Ottawa National Forest. It doesn't name Clark Lake, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Ottawa National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Clark Lake is a 17-mile loop hike in the Watersmeet Ranger District of Michigan's Ottawa National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is rated hard, with a total elevation gain of 155 feet, and it starts and ends at about 1,735 feet, with the high point at 1,795 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 6 miles in, where the grade reaches 12 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July averages from a nearby weather station in Paulding run to a high of 78°F and a low of 52°F, and the station sits roughly 400 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. The Clark Lake - Sylvania Camp campground is just 0.4 miles away, and Clark Lake Pavilion and Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping are each about a mile off. Katherine Lake, another hike, is about 1.2 miles away.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Clark Lake

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      21° / 2°

    2. Feb

      25° / 3°

    3. Mar

      37° / 12°

    4. Apr

      49° / 25°

    5. May

      64° / 38°

    6. Jun

      74° / 48°

    7. Jul

      78° / 52°

    8. Aug

      76° / 50°

    9. Sep

      68° / 43°

    10. Oct

      53° / 32°

    11. Nov

      38° / 22°

    12. Dec

      26° / 10°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Paulding, MI, 13.1 mi away at 1,367 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.