Hiking Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area

Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area is a 1200-acre park surrounding a 220-acre manmade lake in Cobb and Highland Wisconsin. A 7.5-mile long two-track footpath encircles the lake. The trails climbs a number of steep grades and long inclines to restored parries and dips into deep woodland ravines – a terrain typical of Driftless Area topography.

Due to the total elevation gain, the fording of two deep creeks at unbridged crossings, and the overgrowth of grasses along sections of trail, this trail is rated as difficult. However, seasoned hikers may deem this trail loop to be easy as it is wide, easy to follow, and located in a busy recreation area with access to drinking water, parking, concessions, and other amenities.

share this article

{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}

$ads={1}

THE PARK

The Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area was initially the dream of a local Highland man, Jack Pierick, who was inspired by the success of Governor Dodge State Park nearby in Dodgeville. In the late 1960’s the Otter Creek watershed was dammed at two of its branches to create the 40-foot deep 220-acre Blackhawk Lake. The idea was to bring tourism to Highland, and it succeeded.

The recreation area is sited on the west shore of the lake and is set up to mimic a state park. You enter the park at a ranger station where you must pay a daily or seasonal fee to gain a pass for your vehicle. This allows you access to the campgrounds, waterfront, boat ramps, docks, beach, and picnic areas.

There seems to be over 150 campsites (including overflow sites) according to the site numbering and additional cabin rentals and group sites. Blackhawk Lake hosts one of the best group campgrounds I have found, with electric group sites and its own dedicated flush toilet and shower house. The regular campgrounds are setup to be a sea of electric sites rendering the park an RV lot. Campgrounds also include showers and flush toilet buildings. There are a few walk-in tent sites as well.

The lake is the big attraction and nearly every vehicle entering the park is towing a boat trailer. There are three mooring fields, two dedicated to seasonal owners and one for campers. At dawn, the mist rises from the lake to reveal its surface dotted with fishing boats from end to end. There is also a busy canoe and kayak launch near the beach. And the beach itself is the main event, drawing most of the visiting families together on the sandy lakeshore. There are some large picnic shelters and a concession stand.

THE HIKE

So, that’s the park. But fewer visitors to Blackhawk realize that there is a challenging day hike around the lake as well. Hiking is not the priority here at Blackhawk Lake, but nonetheless, I would call this trail one of the premiere hikes in Southwestern Wisconsin. There are few loops with the length and scenery to match it.

I began the trail at the beach parking lot and hiked it clockwise, beginning with a walk up the road and through the smaller campground. At the end of the road a wide grass covered trail appears that leads to a walk-in campsite and continues past a couple of intersecting trails which lead to the upper campgrounds.

You will continue down a long hill to a marshy bottom. There, the trail virtually disappears. I pushed on through reeds and over squishy ground on a faint deer trail. This led to the edge of a creek and I followed the creek around a few bends. I found the remnants of an old wood bridge, but the bridge was pushed off its piers and planted against the south side of the creek. So, I continued along the creek till I found a suitable place to ford. The creek was deep, and I ended up walking through with the water overtopping and filling into my shoes.

Across the creek I had to follow along towards the lake until I found the trail again which is wide and easy to follow the rest of the way. There were some dramatic hills to climb through woodlands, and it didn’t matter much that my feet were wet from the creek ford as the grass on the trail was soaked with dew and was keeping my pants and shoes soaked.

The trail let out at a gravel road that dead ended nearby. I found a few trails that emanated out from the gravel road, but luckily, I chose the right one to continue the loop. This trail quickly descended to another creek. This creek is much deeper and wider than the previous crossing. There’s really nothing to do but walk through it. This crossing was knee deep. No point taking off my shoes as they were soaked through from the dewy grass. At the crossing I spotted a bald eagle sitting on some low branches extending out over Blackhawk Lake – which I feel is an unusual sighting for this area – But the Wisconsin River valley is nearby, so I suppose some eagles find their way over here.

From the creek crossing the trail ascends for the next few miles, sometimes at steep hills, but more often along gradual inclines. There are several intersecting trails, but it was relatively clear which was the main route as it’s the cleanest way through. You will come across two dams on this side of the lake which offer grand views of the whole valley and lake. The beach and campgrounds looked idyllic from across the lake. The trail then climbs into hillside prairies and continues through sun drenched meadow for a few miles. This is where the trail tops out in elevation. It then descends into woodland valleys and winds around to meet a road where you can cross another creek on a road bridge.

After crossing the bridge be on the lookout for the trail continuing off to the north. The trail climbs another long hill and enters the group campground right through one of the group sites. Follow the road from here till you find another trail connection which cuts through woodlands back to the same campground road. Then you’ll have to follow the road around a bay to the cabins and a boat launch. The trail continues right along the shoreline north till you reach another mooring area and the main boat launch. The route then crosses mowed grass fields along the lake up to the picnic pavilion and back to the beach.

Due to the multiple climbs on this trail, it took me about 4-hours to hike the full 7.5-mile loop which is a very athletically satisfying distance and time. It was a full morning and left me exhausted and ready to park myself in a lawn chair and enjoy the sunny summer afternoon.

Blackhawk Lake Loop Trail

COUNTY
IOWA
COMMUNITIES
COBB, HIGHLAND
TOTAL MILES
7.5-MILE LOOP
DIFFICULTY
DIFFICULT
LOWEST ELEVATION
870 AMSL
HIGHEST ELEVATION
1070 AMSL
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN
700 FT

Directions and Trail Map

Click Map Image to load the full interactive map.

If viewing on a mobile device, open the trail map above to load into Google Maps App by touching the expand rectangle in the upper right corner.

Address for your GPS: 2025 Co Hwy BH, Highland, WI 53543
| coordinates: 43.02564, -90.28951 |