Loop Hike to Indian Cliffs from Timberbrook Road
Directions to trailhead
Take I-80 to Exit 37. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left onto Green Pond Road (County 513). Continue for 6.6 miles and turn right onto Timberbrook Road. Follow Timberbrook Road for about 1.3 miles to a parking area on the left, just before the gateway marking the entrance to Camp Winnebago.
Hike Description
From the northern end of the parking area, head north on the yellow-blazed Timberbrook Trail. This relatively level trail passes a small marsh on the left and continues north through the woods. In three-quarters of a mile, after descending steadily and passing a large marsh on the left, you’ll reach a junction with the white-blazed Four Birds Trail.
Turn right and follow the Four Birds Trail, which climbs over a knoll and descends to cross a wide woods road. The trail continues through dense stands of mountain laurel, then turns right and follows along an old stone wall. After descending to cross a stream on rocks, the trail climbs gradually to the top of a rise. It descends a little and crosses a woods road (the green-blazed Bear Trail begins on the right). Proceed ahead along the white-blazed Four Birds Trail, which continues to descend very gradually.
In another quarter mile, you’ll reach a junction with the blue-blazed Splitrock Trail, which begins on the left. Turn left onto the Splitrock Trail, which descends towards Misty Pond. It bears right at the pond, briefly follows its shoreline (with views over the pond), then heads east. After crossing the dirt Charlotteburg Road, the Splitrock Trail reaches the base of a cliff. It turns left, briefly follows along the base of the cliff, then turns right and climbs steeply to the crest of the rise. Here, it bears right and heads south along the ridge, continuing to climb.
At the highest point on the ridge, a rock ledge on the right offers a panoramic west-facing view. Splitrock Reservoir is visible to the south (left), and Misty Pond may be seen to the north (right).
Continue to head south on the blue-blazed Splitrock Trail, which descends along the ridge. Soon, the trail joins a woods road that comes in from the left. In another 50 feet, you’ll reach a junction with the orange-blazed Beech Trail, which begins on the right. Turn right onto the Beech Trail, leaving the blue-blazed Splitrock Trail, and descend along a badly eroded woods road. After a short level section, follow the Beech Trail as it bears left, leaving the woods road. The Beech Trail crosses the dirt Charlotteburg Road and approaches the shore of the Splitrock Reservoir.
As the Beech Trail bears right and begins to head north, closely paralleling the shore of the reservoir, you’ll pass a large pile of mine tailings and an abandoned mine pit. Soon, the Beech Trail reaches an open area at the northern end of the reservoir, with a view over the lake and a fire ring. At the northern end of this open area, you'll see the red blazes of the Durham Trail. Turn left and follow the Durham Trail for about a quarter mile to an intersection with the white-blazed Four Birds Trail. Turn right onto the Four Birds Trail, now retracing your steps for a short distance. In a third of a mile, you reach an intersection with a woods road. Here, the green-blazed Bear Trail begins on the left. Turn left and follow the Bear Trail to its end at an intersection with the yellow-blazed Winnebago Trail, and continue ahead on the Winnebago Trail to the parking area where the hike began.