Michigan · Hiking · Sylvania Wilderness

Katherine Lake

Katherine LakePhoto: usfs_Eastern_Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
0.6 mi
round trip
86 ft
climb
1,809 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Katherine Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Katherine Lake is an easy, short out-and-back hike of about 0.6 miles in the Sylvania Wilderness, part of the Watersmeet Ranger District of the Ottawa National Forest in Michigan. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail sits within the wilderness, which sets it apart as a remote outing in the backcountry. The hike is an easy one with a total climb of about 86 feet, and it stays roughly flat, with the steepest point coming around the middle of the route at about a 6% grade. The trail is natural-surfaced, and it is not accessible. Bikes and horses are not allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. July typically brings highs near 78°F and lows around 52°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station in Paulding, and the station sits about 440 feet lower than the high point here, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. The trip takes about half an hour, and the trail is open year-round. Thompson Lodge is about 0.4 miles away, Corey Lake about 0.5 miles, and Clark Lake about 1.2 miles. Sylvania Wilderness Backcountry Camping is about 0.5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Katherine 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, 12.5 mi away at 1,367 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.