On the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
There’s lots to celebrate at this family-friendly event.
You’re Invited!
In honor of National Trails Day®, the Ice Age Trail Alliance and the National Park Service are hosting a celebration at the National Park Service headquarters in Cross Plains.
There’s lots to celebrate this year:
- The Ice Age Trail’s Unit Status designation
- The partnerships that make the Trail a reality
- Nearly three new yellow-blazed miles along the Cross Plains Segment (plus a white-blazed loop trail!)
Be there as the ribbon is cut and the new portion of the Cross Plains Segment is officially opened. Then, hike it! (Choose the distance right for you.)
Jaunt across a cool-grass prairie and saunter through oak woodlands, enjoying the surrounding landscape’s story; the tension between the Wisconsin Glaciation’s massive ice sheets and the unburied Driftless area. (Plus, the Trail travels across land owned by Alliance partners, the National Park Service and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.)
Meet the Trailbuilders who crafted the tread, built the boardwalk, and moved boulders on this portion of Trail as you hike! Hear their stories, get inside information.
Enjoy light, post-hike refreshments at the National Park Service office, and get your National Park Service stamp from the park office (which will be open).
Make plans to attend!
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, June 1
Time: 1:00 p.m. Ribbon-cutting ceremony
Where:
National Park Service-Cross Plains Interpretive Site
8075 Old Sauk Pass Rd, Cross Plains, Wis.
About National Trails Day®: Each year, people all across the country unite on the first Saturday of June to recognize the importance of America’s trails and the value they add to our lives.
Graphic by: American Hiking Society
Celebrate a beautiful day on the Trail with a visually stimulating section (almost five miles) of the St. Croix Falls Segment. Look for two six-inch nautilus fossils embedded in a limestone footbridge and follow boulder-strewn Mindy Creek. Stroll through a nature preserve and park, following the St. Croix River’s scenic shoreline until you arrive at Big Rock Creek, the hike’s turn-around point.
For anyone who doesn’t want to hike the entire distance, volunteer shuttles will be at the Lions Park parking lot to take hikers back to their vehicles.
HIKE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024
Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
Distance: 4.6 miles
Hike Start/End Point: Trail Access and Parking at Ray Zillmer Park on Day Road
Shuttles: Trail Access and Parking at Lions Park on St. Hwy. 87
Recommendations:
- Know your activity tolerance and respect that.
- Dress for the weather: wear layers, a hat, etc.
- Bring sunscreen, bug repellant, water, and a snack.
Note: Inclement weather will cancel the hike.
Questions? Please call hike leaders, Cheryl (715-371-0048) or Barb (715-410-8069)
Photo credit: Eimile Chelberg
Lace up your hiking boots and gather your family and friends! In celebration of National Trails Day, join fellow hikers for an open house and hike along the Pleasant Lake section of the Ice Age Trail.
The Hike:
Enjoy a 1.5 mile guided group hike on a newly completed section of the Ice Age Trail featuring recently planted native prairie. Dr. Diane Lueck, Naturalist and Lecturer with the College of Natural Resources at UW Stevens Point, will lead this hike.
Event Details:
This is a free, family friendly event! All are welcome to attend, including leashed dogs. Participants can use this hike’s mileage towards their “Walk-the-Waush” goal. All participants will be eligible for event-related door prizes.
The event will be canceled if there is inclement weather.
What to Bring:
Hiking boots are ideal although tennis shoes can work, too. Dress in layers to accommodate Wisconsin’s weather. Bring a filled water bottle, insect repellant, and sun block.
Directions:
We’ll meet at 12:30 p.m. at the Pleasant Lake Ice Age trailhead parking lot located on 3rd Ave, 1/4 mile south of County Road CC in Coloma. To get there, take County Road CH south from Coloma to County Rd CC. Follow the yellow Ice Age Trail Event signs. Google Map Directions here.
Questions?
Contact: Randy L., Ice Age Trail Alliance (920-787-2333), Heather P. (920-787-7037, wausharacounty.parks@co.waushara.wi.us), or Jen P. (920-787-5638, public.health@co.waushara.wi.us)
Want to learn more about backpacking on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, meet other backpackers, or shed weight from your pack? If so, join us for this pack shakedown workshop!
Date: June 3, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.; workshop followed by social time and dinner.
Location: Jack Lake Lodge at Jack Lake Campground, N8375 Park Drive, Deerbrook, WI 54424
Workshop Details:
- A presentation by a recent thru-hiker: get inspired for your next adventure and hear about all of the ups and downs of thru-hiking. There will be time for questions about backpacking logistics on the Trail.
- An overview of hiker resources provided by the Alliance: You’ll learn the ins and outs of the interactive map including Trail conditions, as well as, the helpful details embedded in the FarOut mobile app.
- Pack shakedowns with experienced long-distance hikers: Bring your personal pack and the gear you take with you when backpacking. We’ll do a group “shakedown” on gear. If you don’t have your own pack – no problem! Learn from others as we talk through the essentials in small groups.
Following the workshop, we’ll provide dinner and time for talking Trail and getting to know fellow backpacking enthusiasts. Who knows – you might just meet your new backpacking buddy! Alliance staff and volunteers will stick around until 6:00 pm for plenty of time to eat and chat.
Bonus Opportunity (included in the above registration link):
Kettlebowl Segment Hike, June 4,
- Practice hiking with your pack without committing to an overnight trip! Alliance staff and volunteers will provide shuttles between 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Lodging
Want to make a weekend of it? Plan to stay overnight!
Reserve a camping spot at the Jack Lake Campground.
Check out lodging options highlighted in Langlade County’s tourism information.
Photo credit: Emily Miller
Pike Lake Segment
Please join us as we partner with the Friends of Pike Lake for their Discovery Day event. As part of that event, and to celebrate National Trails Day, we will offer a guided hike on the Pike Lake Segment of the Ice Age Trail. As we hike the IAT and other trails in the park, we see glacial features and climb a large glacial kame (Powder Hill).
No Wisconsin state park sticker is required, as this is the DNR’s Free Fun Weekend.
LOCATION: Beach Parking Lot, Pike Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest, east of Hartford. Click here for driving directions. Watch for yellow “Ice Age Trail Event” signs.
HIKE DESCRIPTION: We will take the Ice Age Trail east from the beach parking lot entrance, making a quick side trip to climb the observation tower on top of Powder Hill. We will return to the parking lot using the orange trail, which runs along the shore of Pike Lake. Total hike distance will be approximately 3 miles. (Participants can return on the green trail on their own to reduce the distance.)
WHAT TO BRING: Wear comfortable hiking boots and dress appropriately for the weather. Bring water and insect repellant.
HIKE LEADER: TBD
Come hike in the Southern Kettle Moraine on National Trails Day. The landscape changes form forests to open prairie over the 20 mile route. Free parking is available all day in all DNR parking lots. Shorter hikes are provided by volunteers that can shuttle you back to your car along the route. We stop at Olsen Cabin for a BYO lunch. The full day hike starts at the Rice Lake parking lot and ends at the Emma Carlin Trailhead.
This event is generously sponsored by:
Pike Lake Segment
Please join us as we partner with the Friends of Pike Lake for their Discovery Day event. As part of that event, and to celebrate National Trails Day, we will offer a guided hike on the Pike Lake Segment of the Ice Age Trail. As we hike the IAT and other trails in the park, we see glacial features and climb a large glacial kame (Powder Hill).
No Wisconsin state park sticker is required, as this is the DNR’s Free Fun Weekend.
LOCATION: Beach Parking Lot, Pike Lake Unit, Kettle Moraine State Forest, east of Hartford. Click here for driving directions. Watch for yellow “Ice Age Trail Event” signs.
HIKE DESCRIPTION: We will take the Ice Age Trail east from the beach parking lot entrance, making a quick side trip to climb the observation tower on top of Powder Hill. We will return to the parking lot using the orange trail, which runs along the shore of Pike Lake. Total hike distance will be approximately 3 miles. (Participants can return on the green trail on their own to reduce the distance.)
WHAT TO BRING: Wear comfortable hiking boots and dress appropriately for the weather. Bring water and insect repellant.
HIKE LEADER: Mark Muellenbach
This event is generously sponsored by:
The Hike:
Join us for a 2.3-mile (total) out-and-back hike along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail as it travels through the 160-acre Walla Hi County Park (Manitowoc County). The route offers both beauty and challenge as it meanders up and down through heavily forested oak and beech trees and around moss-covered erratics to Slab Hill. Walla Hi is one of the northernmost examples of the high hummocky terrain found in the kettle moraine.
Event Details:
We expect the hike to take about 1.5 hours. Wear appropriate clothing, and bring water and mosquito repellent. Hikers should be aware of the logging operation in the park removing the dead Scotch pine and ash trees.
Location Details:
Walla Hi County Park. Meet in the lower parking lot by the bridge. The hike is 2.3 miles and will take about 1.5 hours. Atlas 91f, Walla Hi Segment
Come hike in the Southern Kettle Moraine on National Trails Day. The landscape changes form forests to open prairie over the 20 mile route. Free parking is available all day in all DNR parking lots. Shorter hikes are provided by volunteers that can shuttle you back to your car along the route. We stop at Olsen Cabin for a BYO lunch. The full day hike starts at the Rice Lake parking lot and ends at the Emma Carlin Trailhead.
This event is generously sponsored by:
Two friends smile in delight after spending the day together hiking the Monches Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Photo by Brad Dagen.
National Trails Day is Saturday, June 1st, 2019 and there’s plenty to celebrate along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Hikes That Go the Distance:
Explore new territory.
1. Chippewa County, Chippewa Moraine Segment: National Trails Day Hike
Celebrate National Trails Day in Chippewa County. Appreciate the beauty of the North woods as trees and flowers unfurl in late-spring. This hike, led by members of the Chippewa Moraine County Chapter, starts at 9:00 a.m. and is about 4-miles in length. Plan to meet new friends, bring your own water, insect repellent, and to complete the hike by noon. (Chippewa Moraine County Chapter) Continue reading →
The Plover River Segment of the Ice Age Trail. (Photo by Cameron Gillie)
National Trails Day is Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 and there is plenty to celebrate along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Hikes That Go the Distance:
Explore new territory.
Waushara County, All Waushara County Segments: “Walk the Waush” Challenge
Beginning June 1 through August 19th, challenge yourself, family, friends, and co-workers to lace up their walking shoes and walk as many miles as you can in 80 days and explore Waushara County’s beautiful parks and trails. (Bonus: become eligible for awards and prizes!) (Waushara County Chapter) Continue reading →
National Trails Day is Saturday, June 3rd and there is plenty to celebrate along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Photo by Dave Caliebe
Hikes for Kids of All Ages
Guided hikes inspire, energize and rejuvenate!
Chippewa County, Chippewa Moraine Segment: Celebrate National Trail Day (Chippewa Moraine Chapter)
It’s hard to find a more scenic trail with it spectacular overlooks, mature forest, and the long meander along the shore of Picnic Lake, the highlights of this recently rebuilt and rerouted section.
Portage County, Emmons Creek Segment: Wildflower Hike (Portage County Chapter)
The Emmons Creek Segment highlights the charming Emmons Creek State Fishery Area and oak woodland and savanna areas. Continue reading →
A trail flows through a sea of wildflowers in the John Muir County Park.
Photo credit: K. Mcgwin
Trails do not just magically appear in the woods or along a ridgeline for our hiking pleasure. It might seem like it as we take a stroll down a long, shaded path, with a glimpse of it unfolding ahead of us. Most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how a trail is constructed or the dedicated hours of design and layout (about a 100 hours) involved for every mile of trail, not counting the hours dedicated to the actual building, mile per mile, of trail.
In fact, most of us have a limited knowledge of exactly how many miles of trails exist in our country, not thinking perhaps beyond the trails in our own county or state parks, or the few mountain trails we’ve hiked, in Colorado, perhaps. It turns out, according to the American Hiking Society, there are 200,000 miles of trail throughout the United States. Continue reading →
Meet at Pike Lake State Forest at lake-side (beach) parking lot.
The National Trails Day hike will be part of the Pike Lake State Park Discovery Day.
Hike 2 to 6 miles round trip. We will use both the Brown and Green trails so the hike will be appropriate for all ages.
Hikes rated moderate; State Park sticker/day permit not required.
