Michigan · Hiking · Sylvania Wilderness

High Lake

High LakePhoto: usfs_Eastern_Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
132 ft
climb
1,797 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is High Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Ottawa National Forest. It doesn't name High 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.

High Lake is a short, easy hike in the Sylvania Wilderness, part of the Watersmeet Ranger District of the Ottawa National Forest in Michigan. The trail is about 0.6 miles long and is an out-and-back route that reaches a high point of 1,797 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 132 feet for the round trip. The climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.2 miles in, where the grade reaches 8 percent. The trail is on natural surface and is not accessible. Bikes and horses are not allowed. The Forest Service manages the land, and the hike is open year-round, with an estimated time of about half an hour. 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 about 430 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run a little cooler. Nearby, West Bear is about 0.8 miles away and Corey Lake about 1.6 miles. Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping and Clark Lake Pavilion are both about 2.1 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit High 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, 12.2 mi away at 1,367 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.