The pathway departs the parking area in two different directions. The segment that heads north for the campground is well posted with a display board and donation canister. Departing the parking to the east, but unmarked, is the segment to Christmas Tree Lake. Most users begin with the segment to the campground because it’s so well marked.

You quickly cross Fewins Road and then within a half mile cross the campground entrance road and spot Lake Dubonnet through the trees. You follow the lake shore for almost a mile, cutting through the campground boat launch at Mile 0.8 and passing a water pump just beyond that. The trail swings west and follows the west arm of the lake and then at Mile 1.4 swings south briefly to arrive at post No. 2.

Here you descend to a dirt road and follow it north (right) across the Lake Dubonnet dam. On the north side to the left is post No. 3 where you re-enter the woods. Head west at the post to stay in the woods but skirt the creek basin, most of it an open marsh. At Mile 2 the trail swings north and you encounter the first climb of the day. You cross a pair of old two-tracks and arrive at post No. 4 at Mile 2.3 where there is a skier’s bench.

Head north (left) at the post and you’ll immediately cross a two-track and then at Mile 2.6 spot Lost Lake for the first time. This scenic little lake is set in the middle of a large bog. The lake once occupied the entire bog but natural plant succession is gradually filling it in and eventually it will disappear, the fate of many small pit lakes created by the glaciers some 10,000 years ago.

For the next half mile you skirt more than half the lake in the most scenic section of the pathway before leaving it behind and crossing another two-track. At Mile 3.5 the trail merges onto an abandoned railroad grade leftover the logging days and then within a quarter mile arrives at post No. 5. This is a pleasant spot where a bench sits in a stand of tall red pine but overlooks another large bog that supports, among other species, wild blueberries.

In the next stretch the pathway crosses four dirt roads at Mile 3.9, Mile 4, Mile 4.7 and Mile 4.9 along a stretch that remains in the woods but contains a few dips and rises. At Mile 5 you arrive at post No. 6. Head south (left) to return to post No. 3 within a quarter mile and then backtrack to post No. 2 along the dirt road across the Lake Dubonnet Dam.

The final mile is interesting if you’re hiking and fun if you’re on a mountain bike. The trail is fast and firm as it meanders though pine and hardwood and across a ridge overlooking Christmas Tree Lake. Eventually you re-cross Fewins Road and emerge at the trailhead parking area.