HikerAlder Lake Loop Hiking Guide
DEC lists the lake loop itself as 1.5 miles. Include the approach from parking when budgeting your outing.
- Route type
- Loop
- Distance
- 1.5 mi
- Cumulative ascent
- Not verified
DEC loop: 1.5 miles. Additional trails excluded. Full-route ascent not verified. Summit elevation is not elevation gain.
Sources reviewed 2026-10-04 · Independent HikerQuests planning guide
Start here
Choose Alder Lake access on the Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest map, not a separate mountain trailhead.
Terrain & what to see
A red-marked lake loop. Roots and wet ground still deserve attention; short distance is not an accessibility rating.
Alder Lake scenery with room in the schedule for quiet observation.
Before hiking
The organizer publishes a different distance. Confirm its intended outing when applying for the patch; the Mill Brook Ridge extension is a separate, longer undertaking.
Landscape & trail notes
Treat the lake as a place for close observation: compare inlet, shore and woodland without leaving the established path.
After the hike
Leave the town stop flexible until you are back at the car. Add your actual route, date and useful trail observations to your journal; confirm current opening hours before making a separate food or history stop.