Booth's Rock Lookout

The loop climbs steadily from Rock Lake Road through mixed forest, passing Rosepond Lake and Gordon Lake before popping onto a series of high, open rock ledges. After the viewpoints, the route eases back via an old rail bed along the shoreline, with wetlands that often show fresh beaver engineering. Expect roots, rock, some mud after rain, and a stair section.

The park signs this as “Difficult,” though many hikers find it moderate with a punchy middle. The cliff edges are unprotected—keep kids and dogs close. A popular tactic is hiking clockwise so the big stair section comes on the descent. After wet weather, the low areas near the beaver pond can be soggy; some hikers turn it into an out‑and‑back on the drier side when it’s really wet.

Those lakes and the Rock Lake basin were carved by the last glaciation, leaving the high rock knobs that make these views so good. The rail‑bed segment nods to the park’s logging and railway era, and along the loop you can poke around remnants of the old Barclay family estate—foundations, a fireplace, even the site of a tennis court.

Wetlands on the loop are active with beavers, and lucky hikers occasionally spot a moose near the end of the trail. Bring binoculars if you like to scan shorelines from the lookouts.