Iron County Forest
Photo: Ian Shackleford, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 9.9 mi
- round trip
- 2,019 ft
- climb
- 1,606 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Iron County Forest is a 20-mile out-and-back route on county land in Wisconsin, set within the Iron County Forest unit. It's an expert-level hike, with a total elevation gain of 2,019 feet and a one-way climb of about 830 feet. The trip begins at roughly 1,346 feet and peaks at 1,606 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 2.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 23%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July highs reach about 77°F with lows near 55°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station in Mellen, while winter brings frequent snow days and January highs around 21°F. The station sits about 300 feet lower than the route's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The hike takes about 7.5 hours. Bikes are allowed, so it works for a longer day on foot or on two wheels. Nearby, Tyler Forks Reroute is about 2.7 miles away. The Uller Trail's Blue Loop and Yellow Loop, about 5.2 to 5.6 miles off, offer cross-country skiing, and the Potato River, roughly 5.8 miles away, is a paddling option.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Iron County Forest
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.
Jan
21° / 2°
13 wet · 13 snow
Feb
26° / 5°
10 wet · 10 snow
Mar
37° / 15°
10 wet · 8 snow
Apr
50° / 28°
11 wet · 3 snow
May
64° / 40°
12 wet · 1 snow
Jun
73° / 50°
12 wet
Jul
77° / 55°
11 wet
Aug
76° / 54°
10 wet
Sep
68° / 46°
11 wet
Oct
54° / 34°
12 wet · 2 snow
Nov
38° / 22°
11 wet · 6 snow
Dec
26° / 10°
13 wet · 11 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mellen 4 Ne, WI, 7.1 mi away at 1,300 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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