Kettle Moraine State Forest

The Kettle Moraine State Forest is one of Wisconsin’s great outdoor playgrounds and a world-class showcase of Ice Age geology, a sprawling forest preserve scattered across the glacially sculpted hills of southeastern Wisconsin. Its very name describes its landscape: a jumble of ‘kettles’ (deep depressions left by buried ice), ‘moraines’ (ridges of glacial debris), kames and eskers, all formed where two great lobes of the last continental glacier met and dumped their load some 12,000 years ago.

Divided into several units — chiefly the Northern and Southern — the forest offers hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing, including long stretches of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail that traces the glacier’s edge. Lakes, kettles, prairies, oak woods and dramatic glacial landforms fill the units, along with the Ice Age visitor center that interprets the geology. A premier destination for recreation and a living textbook of glaciation, the Kettle Moraine is a beloved natural treasure of southeastern Wisconsin.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest is a premier recreation destination, with hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, trail running and cross-country skiing, including long, scenic stretches of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The forest’s units offer swimming and paddling on glacial lakes, camping, picnicking, fishing, hunting in season, and the Ice Age visitor center. Its dramatic glacial landforms, varied trails and abundant lakes make the Kettle Moraine a beloved year-round playground for outdoor lovers across southeastern Wisconsin.

Each season offers something — spring brings wildflowers and prairie blooms, summer green trails and lake swimming, and fall spectacular color across the glacial hills and oak woods, a premier time for hiking and biking. Winter brings excellent cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the rolling terrain. The varied units and trails are rewarding year-round; fall color on the moraines and winter skiing are highlights. Popular trails and lakes are busy on warm-season weekends, so arrive early at peak times.

The Kettle Moraine’s landscape was recognized early as a remarkable record of the Ice Age, and the state forest was established to protect the glacial landforms and provide recreation, with the Civilian Conservation Corps developing early facilities. The region’s glacial features helped inspire the creation of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, which the forest helps anchor. Long valued for both science and recreation, the Kettle Moraine State Forest has become one of Wisconsin’s most beloved and important natural areas.

The Kettle Moraine is a textbook glacial landscape, formed about 12,000 years ago where two great lobes of the last continental ice sheet — the Lake Michigan and Green Bay lobes — met and dumped vast loads of rock and debris. The result is the ‘interlobate moraine’: a jumble of kettles (depressions from melted buried ice), kames (cone-shaped hills of sediment), eskers (winding ridges from glacial rivers) and moraines (ridges of debris). The Ice Age National Scenic Trail traces these landforms, making the forest a world-renowned showcase of glaciation.

The forests, prairies, lakes and wetlands of the Kettle Moraine host white-tailed deer, wild turkey, foxes, coyotes, and a rich community of birds, including grassland and woodland species, waterfowl on the glacial lakes, and migratory birds, while the varied habitats shelter reptiles, amphibians and diverse wildlife. Restored prairies add grassland species. The mosaic of glacial landforms, forest, prairie and water makes the Kettle Moraine an excellent and varied place for wildlife watching and birding in southeastern Wisconsin.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest protects a rich mosaic of southeastern Wisconsin ecosystems shaped by glaciation — oak woodlands and savannas, restored prairies, glacial lakes, kettle wetlands, bogs and forests across its rolling units. This diversity of habitats, set on the dramatic glacial landforms, supports exceptional biodiversity, including prairie and savanna species restored through active management. Protecting the varied glacial landscape, the lakes and wetlands, and the restored grasslands sustains both the ecology and the scenic and scientific value of this Ice Age landscape.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest holds a cherished place in Wisconsin as both a world-class showcase of Ice Age geology and a beloved outdoor playground, central to the story of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and the appreciation of the state’s glacial heritage. Generations of hikers, cyclists, skiers and campers have made the forest a defining part of southeastern Wisconsin’s outdoor life, treasured for its dramatic glacial landforms, its abundant recreation and its role in interpreting the Ice Age.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest is spread across southeastern Wisconsin in several units, chiefly the Northern Unit (near Fond du Lac and West Bend) and the Southern Unit (near Whitewater and Eagle), with additional units, reached via US-45, State Routes 67, 59 and others. A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required at developed areas. Each unit offers trailheads, lakes, campgrounds and facilities, with the Ice Age visitor center in the Northern Unit. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for unit access, trails and conditions before visiting.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources protects the glacial landforms, forests, prairies, lakes and wetlands of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, managing the units for recreation, habitat restoration and the preservation of the Ice Age landscape. Visitors help by staying on designated trails (protecting the fragile landforms, prairies and trail systems), respecting trail-use designations, packing out everything, protecting water quality, respecting wildlife, and following Leave No Trace. Protecting the glacial features and the restored habitats sustains both the ecology and the scientific and recreational value of the forest.

The Kettle Moraine’s trails cross rolling, sometimes rugged glacial terrain — wear sturdy footwear, carry water (especially in summer heat on exposed prairies), and watch footing on hilly, rooty paths. Mountain-bike and multi-use trails are shared; follow trail-use rules and stay alert. Be mindful of ticks and poison ivy in summer, and of hunting seasons in open areas (wear blaze orange where appropriate). In winter, dress for cold and changing conditions on the ski trails. Carry a map, as the units are large and trail networks extensive.

A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required at developed areas; some trails require a state trail pass (for biking, skiing, horseback riding). Stay on designated trails and respect trail-use designations. Camp only in designated campgrounds. Follow Wisconsin hunting and fishing regulations and seasons. Pets must be leashed. Drones generally require authorization. Collecting is restricted. Pack out all trash. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for unit-specific rules, passes and conditions before visiting.

The Northern Unit lies near Fond du Lac, West Bend and the Ice Age visitor center, and the Southern Unit near Whitewater, Eagle and the historic Old World Wisconsin museum, with the cities of Milwaukee and Madison both within reach of the forest’s units. Lakes, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and charming towns surround the forest. The Kettle Moraine State Forest anchors a vast and varied outdoor-recreation region across the glacial hills of southeastern Wisconsin.

Pick a unit — the Northern (with the Ice Age visitor center) or Southern — and explore the glacial landscape on foot, by bike or on skis, walking a stretch of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail to see kettles, kames and eskers up close. Visit in fall for spectacular color on the moraines or winter for cross-country skiing, buy the required park sticker and any trail pass, carry a map and water, and combine the forest with the nearby towns and lakes of southeastern Wisconsin.