Wisconsin · Hiking

Old Settlers Loop Trail

Old Settlers Loop TrailPhoto: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
2.0 mi
loop
373 ft
climb
1,236 ft
high point
Loop
route
Jun–Oct
best months

Old Settlers Loop Trail is a 2-mile loop in Wildcat Mountain State Park in Wisconsin, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The trail rises from about 1,134 feet to a high point of 1,236 feet, with a total elevation gain of 373 feet. It is an easy hike, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.1 miles in, where the grade reaches 22%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cashton show July highs around 81°F with lows near 63°F, while winter brings highs in the 20s and regular snow days from December through February. The trail sits close to other park highlights. Wildcat Mountain, a climbing area, and the Prairie Trail are each about half a mile away, and the Mt Pisgah Hemlock Trail is about a mile off. Paddlers can reach the Kickapoo River, roughly 7 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Old Settlers Loop Trail

    Best months: June–October. 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

      24° / 11°

      8 wet · 8 snow

    2. Feb

      29° / 14°

      6 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      41° / 25°

      8 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      56° / 37°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      68° / 48°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 59°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 63°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 61°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      71° / 53°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 40°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

      9 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      29° / 17°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cashton, WI, 10.3 mi away at 1,370 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors