A snowy hike along the Chippewa Moraine Segment. Photo by Melinda Hayes.
Start off 2019 strong with a heart-pumping hike and plenty of fresh air!
It’s easy to get your 10,000 steps with a hike on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Let the scenery renew your spirit and the crisp, winter weather invigorate your pace.
Give the gym a break on the weekends and mix up your routine. A whole-body workout is possible during Trail Improvement days. Besides the camaraderie of working alongside other trail enthusiasts, there’s the added bonus of knowing your ‘workout’ showed the Ice Age Trail some love.
Healthy Lifestyle Commitment:
Snow-covered thistles enliven a winter landscape. Photo by T. Knaack.
First Day Hikes:
Tuesday, January 1st: Pike Lake Segment. Follow the edge of a glacial ridge as you hike through a wintry forest. You’ll have an option of hiking or snowshoeing either 2-miles or 4.5-miles round- trip. The trails are rated “moderate” because of some hills. Hosted by the Washington County Chapter.
Tuesday, January 1st: Gibraltar Rock Segment. Lace up your hiking boots and join us for a hike to the top of Gibraltar Rock in Lodi. Enjoy a hot beverage and some treats as we toast 2019 at the top and take in the view. Hosted by the Lodi Valley Chapter.
Full Moon hikes are family-friendly fun! Photo by Lisa Jones.
Full Moon Hikes:
Saturday, January 19th: Valley View Segment. While blooms might be blanketed by snow, there will still be plenty of flora features to notice on this two-hour tour of transitional terrain. The hike will start on the terminal moraine and drop down off the old glacier’s edge into a valley that carried away the meltwaters. Hosted by the Dane County Chapter.
Sunday, January 20th: Eastern Lodi Marsh Segment. While the moon rises at 4:30 pm, you’re encouraged to bring flashlights and headlamps to the start of the 7:00 pm hike. It’s mystical and magical in the wintery marsh. Hosted by the Lodi Valley Chapter.
Snowshoeing on the Valley View Segment, Dane County. Photo by Jo Ellarson.
Snowshoe Hikes:
Saturday, January 5th: Prairie Moraine Segment. Enjoy a hike (hopefully with snowshoes if there is enough snow!) along the Prairie Moraine Segment, a gem highlighting restoration work. Hosted by the Dane County Chapter.
Sunday, January 20th: Springfield Hill Segment. Strap on your snowshoes (fingers crossed for snow) or boots and enjoy the ever-improving views on this 1.6-mile loop as volunteers expand restoration of oak savanna.
Volunteers help stack brush onto a burn pile. Photo by IATA staff.
Trail Improvement Days:
Saturday, January 5th: Cross Plains Segment. Join in a perfect cabin-fever-reliever activity: burning bush piles built during days of summer-time buckthorn clearing. Hosted by the Dane County Chapter.
Saturday, January 26th: Montrose Segment. Get your workout as you help cut and pile buckthorn, apply herbicide, and burn brush piles. Hosted by the Dane County Chapter.