Mirror Lake LbNA #11358 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Puddlejumpers  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Sep 26, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lake Delton |
| County: | Sauk |
| State: | Wisconsin |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Family Ferst |
|---|---|
| Last found: | May 13, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFOFFFa |
| Last edited: | Sep 26, 2004 |
July 08---Box was found missing, so archiving this box.
This is a nice hike that will take you along rolling hills on the West Loop Hiking Trail at Mirror Lake State Park. It should be less than an hour and 2-3 miles round trip.
We suggest taking I-90/94 towards the Dells and take Exit 92 which is Hwy 12. Follow Hwy 12 towards the west a short distance and you will see a sign for Mirror Lake State Park and will need to turn right onto Fern Dell Road. Go a distance and you will see the park entrance and office on the right. Entrance to the park does require a fee. A Yearly or day pass can be purchased for $20/$5 for residents or $30/$10 for non-residents.
Park in the lot near the office. If the office is open, we highly recommend picking up a trail map. Head to the west side of the parking lot near the beginning of the entrance drive you took as you entered the park. You will need to cross over the road to get to the trail head. Note: You are not crossing over Fern Dell Road, but rather just crossing over the park driveway. This is a trail head for several different trails and this is where the trail map will help you. We are going to be directing you to follow the West Loop trail around to the west and connect with the North Loop trail.
Enter the trail and begin heading west. You will come upon two separate trails going to the right, but you will need to stay to the left. After you pass these two trails that split to the right, soon you will get your first view of Mirror Lake just to your right. You then follow the trail around the tip of the Lake and will see markers and signs for the Time Loop Trail to your left. Go past the small Time Warp trail path and then turn left at the next fork where there should be a sign that points you to the North and Northwest Trail. A short distance later you will see another sign for the Time Warp trail going off to the left. Go on past that and soon you will come to another fork in the trail and here you need to stay right. We found the trail markings somewhat confusing here, so at this point if there is any confusion just stay right. This trail will begin winding and rolling along the west side of the West Loop Trail. If you can spot a very tall dead tree stump on your right soon after you take this trail, you will know you are most likely on the right trail. Follow along and you will come across a bench on your right and then a sign that will point you to the left for the West Loop. Go left at that sign and follow along and you will eventually find that the Northwest Loop meets up with the trail you are on as it merges from the left. So if by chance you found yourself on the more hilly Northwest Loop earlier, you can still get where you are going, but just a bit longer way around.
The trail begins to curve to the right and you will begin to see some of your first views of the larger part of the lake below. You will be going down hill and find there are stones and old cement in the path. As the trail continues to curve to the right, you will see a cement and wooden guardrail fence on the left of the trail. Enjoy the views, but then go to the end of the fence where the last cement post stands. Walk about 75 steps on down the trail. If you have come to the stone foundation where a building once stood, you have gone too far. After counting off your steps, look to your right and you will see two small tree stumps only about 5 steps off the path. Check in the stump on the right and you will find what you are looking for.
Please stamp in and hide very well, cover with leaves, sticks etc. You can continue on down the trail past the stone foundation. The trail you are on will take you down the inside edge of the lake with several nice views of the lake. If you watch carefully, you will find some stone steps to the left of the trail about 270 steps past the stump. If you want, you can take those steps down for a water level view of the lake and will understand why it is called Mirror Lake. Back up on the trail though, follow along staying left until you find yourself back at the spot where you first saw the tip of the lake. Once you curve back around the tip of the lake, you need to stay right and you will find yourself back where you started at the trail head and park office.
Please enjoy the hike and while you are in the area consider looking for our Echo Rock Letterbox also in this same park!
The Puddlejumpers and KDkadiddlehopper
This is a nice hike that will take you along rolling hills on the West Loop Hiking Trail at Mirror Lake State Park. It should be less than an hour and 2-3 miles round trip.
We suggest taking I-90/94 towards the Dells and take Exit 92 which is Hwy 12. Follow Hwy 12 towards the west a short distance and you will see a sign for Mirror Lake State Park and will need to turn right onto Fern Dell Road. Go a distance and you will see the park entrance and office on the right. Entrance to the park does require a fee. A Yearly or day pass can be purchased for $20/$5 for residents or $30/$10 for non-residents.
Park in the lot near the office. If the office is open, we highly recommend picking up a trail map. Head to the west side of the parking lot near the beginning of the entrance drive you took as you entered the park. You will need to cross over the road to get to the trail head. Note: You are not crossing over Fern Dell Road, but rather just crossing over the park driveway. This is a trail head for several different trails and this is where the trail map will help you. We are going to be directing you to follow the West Loop trail around to the west and connect with the North Loop trail.
Enter the trail and begin heading west. You will come upon two separate trails going to the right, but you will need to stay to the left. After you pass these two trails that split to the right, soon you will get your first view of Mirror Lake just to your right. You then follow the trail around the tip of the Lake and will see markers and signs for the Time Loop Trail to your left. Go past the small Time Warp trail path and then turn left at the next fork where there should be a sign that points you to the North and Northwest Trail. A short distance later you will see another sign for the Time Warp trail going off to the left. Go on past that and soon you will come to another fork in the trail and here you need to stay right. We found the trail markings somewhat confusing here, so at this point if there is any confusion just stay right. This trail will begin winding and rolling along the west side of the West Loop Trail. If you can spot a very tall dead tree stump on your right soon after you take this trail, you will know you are most likely on the right trail. Follow along and you will come across a bench on your right and then a sign that will point you to the left for the West Loop. Go left at that sign and follow along and you will eventually find that the Northwest Loop meets up with the trail you are on as it merges from the left. So if by chance you found yourself on the more hilly Northwest Loop earlier, you can still get where you are going, but just a bit longer way around.
The trail begins to curve to the right and you will begin to see some of your first views of the larger part of the lake below. You will be going down hill and find there are stones and old cement in the path. As the trail continues to curve to the right, you will see a cement and wooden guardrail fence on the left of the trail. Enjoy the views, but then go to the end of the fence where the last cement post stands. Walk about 75 steps on down the trail. If you have come to the stone foundation where a building once stood, you have gone too far. After counting off your steps, look to your right and you will see two small tree stumps only about 5 steps off the path. Check in the stump on the right and you will find what you are looking for.
Please stamp in and hide very well, cover with leaves, sticks etc. You can continue on down the trail past the stone foundation. The trail you are on will take you down the inside edge of the lake with several nice views of the lake. If you watch carefully, you will find some stone steps to the left of the trail about 270 steps past the stump. If you want, you can take those steps down for a water level view of the lake and will understand why it is called Mirror Lake. Back up on the trail though, follow along staying left until you find yourself back at the spot where you first saw the tip of the lake. Once you curve back around the tip of the lake, you need to stay right and you will find yourself back where you started at the trail head and park office.
Please enjoy the hike and while you are in the area consider looking for our Echo Rock Letterbox also in this same park!
The Puddlejumpers and KDkadiddlehopper