If you live in Wisconsin, you’re never far from a stretch of the more than 1,000-mile-long Ice Age Trail. Whether that means taking in the romantic evergreens in the northwoods or the diverse Kettle Moraine in the south, there’s an opportunity for a scenic hike just about everywhere in between.
Table Bluff Segment, Dane County. Photo by Eric Sherman
And the trail that passes through 31 counties, weaving from St. Croix Falls in the northwestern part of the state to its southernmost point in Janesville, shouldn't be discounted during the winter months, said Eric Sherman, membership and grants coordinator for the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
"I would say two words: no bugs," he said.
And fewer people.
"This time of year I feel like I'm liberated to be out there really enjoying some nice dry, crisp weather and quiet, too," Sherman said. "The world kind of takes off this heavy fur coat and all of a sudden everything is just open to explore."
Sherman shared three segments of the trail to hike in the winter months by way of Travel Wisconsin.
Not for the faint of heart, this 6-mile hike in Washington County dips through hills and valleys created by glaciers and travels through the Glacial Blue Hills Recreation Area and Ridge Run Park — with one section of the trail taking you along the shore of Wells Lake, a popular ice skating destination during the winter.
Indian Lake, Dane County’s largest park at 442 acres, also features a 2.8-mile segment of the Ice Age Trail that is great for hiking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Go for the lake’s beautiful views from a historic 1857 chapel on a hilltop, then warm up in the log cabin warming house after exploring the park.
For a longer trek, this 15-mile hike is located in the thick of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and travels along Jerry Lake. Notable highlights include the mile-long ridge, Hemlock Esker, within a hemlock forest, and a 67-foot-long bridge over the South Fork Yellow River, one of several river crossings.
One of 11 National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail may not have as dramatic of a landscape as some of the other trails on the list, Sherman said, but its goal is to be the most enjoyable long distance trail.
"The Ice Age Trail landscape is much more subtle, but I think our strength is with that community interaction and meeting people along the trail who are eager to help you out and lend a hand," he said.
Yellow blaze, Devil's Lake Segment, Dane County. Photo by Eric Sherman
Just over half of the trail is complete, Sherman said. The established segments are marked with yellow blazes and the incomplete parts are essentially quiet walks along back roads through communities that link the trail.
"(People are) consistently pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable they turn out to be," he said. "A big part of that is that's where you interact with something besides trees, you see the people who live along those roads."
Those experiences often lead to what Sherman calls "trail magic," where something unexpected and nice happens from meeting local people along the trail.
"Do you need a place to stay? Can I make you some cookies? Things like that," he said. "That's where kind of the character of Wisconsin, the people here really come out for people hiking the trail."
Sherman’s advice for hiking the trails in winter is to be flexible — trail parking lots are rarely the first to be plowed after a snowfall — and bring yaktraxs to slip over the bottom of your shoes. Unless there’s a fresh snowfall, the slip-on cleats will be more helpful than snowshoes.
Blue Hills Segment, Rusk County. Photo by Gail Piotrowski
