Photo Credit: Brent Sieling

The Hike

The Trail starts from the parking lot heading south between two agricultural fields before entering a wooded area, and then winds uphill and west before turning to the south, passing an impressive bedrock outcropping dotted with ferns. It then continues east through an agricultural field and turns southeast to a high plateau. The Trail turns east when entering another woods, and drops down a ridge, then continues south across a farm field and reenters the woods. From this point the segment climbs gradually up the west side of a sandstone ridge, eventually making its way to a fine goat prairie and trailside bench with outstanding views across a glacial outwash plain to the Sugar River watershed and the city of Belleville. The segment takes a northeast turn and crosses a high prairie plateau before entering a woods and turns southeast to reach Cty Hwy D.

Event Details

Location

Meet at Parking lot at the intersection of Piller Rd and Frenchtown Rd.

Photo Credit: David Lonsdorf

The Hike

The Prairie Moraine section of the Verona Segment starts at the gate in the northwest corner of the parking lot, adjacent to the fenced off dog exercise area, and heads north before turning to the east. It then climbs a few switchbacks to a saddle of the terminal moraine on the St. Peter sandstone bedrock. There is a spur trail to the east to a viewing platform offering views of a ravine cut in the moraine by meltwater and of the upper Sugar River Valley in the Driftless Area to the south. The Ice Age Trail continues from the junction with the spur trail to the northwest about 0.8 miles, descending along the north-northwest side of the moraine before heading north through the woods for a short bit. The Trail then crosses Cty Hwy PB at the end of the median in the road (caution: heavy traffic), before going south to enter the Moraine Kettles portion of the Verona segment. As you head west on the segment, you will see a sign the noting the old section of roadway for the County Farm Paoli Road that was in use from 1882 to 1929. The Trail continues to the west before turning north to cut through a prairie with tall grasses and wildflowers. The next set of woods has several kettle ponds formed from ice buried when the glaciers retreated, subsequently melting to form a depression that usually fills with water. Finally there is another small prairie before reaching the Moraine Kettles parking lot and Cty Hwy M.

Event Details

Location

At the gate/kiosk in the first lot as soon as you turn on Wesner Rd.

Photo Credit:  MacKenzie McDermit.

The Hike

The Brooklyn Wildlife segment traverses an area featuring highly eroded glacial deposits from an earlier glacial advance more than 60,000 years ago. The segment highlights meadows, woodlands, oak savannas, and colorful prairies. The variety of habitats in the area results in great bird-watching opportunities. Herons and cranes fish in the Story Creek wetlands and plenty of turkeys resting with their young can be stirred up on sandy portions of the segment. Volunteers from the Friends of Brooklyn Wildlife Area and the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s Dane County Chapter have worked extensively on prairie restoration and removal of invasive species throughout the Brooklyn Wildlife Area. When heading north from the blue spur trail from the Hwy DD South parking lot, you will encounter a particularly impressive overlook and view from the Trail of the Story Creek wetlands and the Johnstown Moraine. Heading south of the blue spur trail will lead to a trail-side hand water pump.

Event Details

Location

The ‘Hwy DD South’ parking lot entrance is about .8 miles south of the Dane County Hwy D intersection with Hwy DD, and just north of the Green County line.

Photo Credit: Black-eyed Susans in full bloom along the Table Bluff Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail by Gary Hegeman.

The Hike

Come out for a hike on this showcase IAT property! The southern end of this segment was formerly owned and manged by the non-profit Swamplovers, before they donated the land to the IAT. The wetlands across from the parking lot are the result of meltwater from the Laurentide ice sheet pouring through a preglacial valley and depositing sand and gravel and partiality filling the valley floors, which now hold wetlands and a tributary stream of Black Earth creek, a Class I trout stream. The hike starts out with several switchbacks to climb to the top of the bluff, featuring dramatic rock outcroppings of Ordovician dolomite and views to the southwest to the Blue Mounds. There is a white-blazed loop trail in addition to the main IAT trail on the hilltop. After a prairie/oak savanna that is being restored to its native state, the IAT traverses nearly a mile of of woodlands of oak and hickory before descending to the valley floor. In the valley is a second white-blazed loop trail that offers a half mile ‘bubble’ to the west of the IAT. The trail continues across the valley to rise up the opposite hillside and into a wooded area. Enjoy the more than 20 years of prairie restoration efforts in the large restored prairie with a thriving population of rare pale purple coneflowers, plus shooting star, rattle-snake master, stiff gentian, hoary vervain, prairie smoke, cream gentian, and cream baptisia have all been identified here. Exiting the prairie and heading downhill, you will encounter the other end of the second white-blazed ‘bubble’ trail. The trail then begins climbing through another prairie/oak savanna before ending at the Table Bluff Road parking lot.

Event Details

Location

Hikers will meet at the Swamplovers end of the trail on Scheele Rd. From HWY KP, turn onto Scheele Road, which has a right turn before entering Swamplovers. The parking lot is on the right.

Photo Credit: Black-eyed Susans in full bloom along the Table Bluff Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail by Gary Hegeman.

The Hike

Come out for a short evening stroll on this Dane County Parks property that is part of the Table Bluff segment of the Ice Age Trail. The trail has some gentle, rolling hills and a looping portion of the trail goes through a section of woods. This 1.5-mile loop offers a grand view toward Blue Mounds (on a clear day).

Enjoy the more than 15 years of prairie restoration efforts. In spring, hikers will see shooting stars and other early prairie flowers; in summer, prairie flowers include an ever-changing explosion of compass plants, monarda, rudbeckia, coneflowers, coreopsis, milkweed, liatris and many more.

Event Details

The hike is about 1.5 miles round trip from the Pine Rd parking lot.

Location

Hikers will meet at the IATA parking lot on Pine Road Liebetrau Prairie – Table Bluff Segment

Photo Credit: Brent Sieling

The Hike

Springfield Hill Segment is currently a small loop trail that can be hiked in either direction. Enjoy the extensive restoration work done if you start your hike to left, with overgrown honeysuckle, buckthorn, and walnut trees have been removed to restore native prairie. The trail ascend to the crest of a hill with a south-facing slope offering dramatic views to the south and west. Summer wildflowers include monarda, spiderwart, and coreopsuis. After descending off the ridge, the segment continues through woods before entering an oak savanna, and then crosses a wooden boardwalk before passing the remains of Frederic Hahn’s log outbuilding dating to the late 19th century.  The segment continues along a goat-prairie hillside and passes an old cattle road underpass before returning to the parking lot.

Event Details

Location

The parking lot entrance is on Ballweg Road, about 1000 ft north of of the intersection with Hightway 12.

Photo Credit: Emily Meier

The Hike

Event Details

Now is the season and early morning is the time to see and hear migrating and newly-arrived birds of the woodlands, savanna and prairie habitats along the loop in the highlands above Cross Plains.  Binoculars and field guide recommended.  Your leader will help to identify avian friends by both sight and sound.

Location

See map below.