Ice Age Trail

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The Ice Age Trail is a National Scenic Trail stretching Template:Convert in the state of Wisconsin in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TrailTrials" /> The trail is administered by the National Park Service,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is constructed and maintained by private and public agencies including the Ice Age Trail Alliance, a non-profit and member-volunteer based organization with local chapters.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It became an official unit of the National Park System in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Route

The trail roughly follows the location of the terminal moraine from the last Ice Age. As the route traverses the moraine, it sometimes meanders into areas west of the moraine, including the Driftless Area in southwestern Wisconsin. The trail passes through 30 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, from the northwestern part of the state to the Lake Michigan shoreline in the east.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The western end of the trail is at Interstate State Park along the St. Croix River, which is the border between northwestern Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. The eastern terminus of the Ice Age Trail lies at Potawatomi State Park, on Wisconsin's Door Peninsula near the city of Sturgeon Bay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Along its route, the trail crosses numerous city and county parks, state parks and forests, state wildlife and natural areas, and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The trail often coincides with other trails within various county and municipal parks. It passes through the land of various owners, including the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Ice Age Trail Alliance, and hundreds of private citizens.<ref name="Ice Age Trail Alliance FAQ"/>

As of 2014, the trail was Template:Convert long. At one point, the trail separates into two just north of Devil's Lake State Park. The western portion of trail, Template:Convert in length, is referred to as the Western Bifurcation. The Western Bifurcation consists mostly of proposed trail sections (though several miles of established trail do exist). The Western Bifurcation is rejoined by its 75-mile eastern counterpart near the town of Coloma. Though the eastern portion of the trail is more readily developed than its western counterpart, both are officially recognized portions of the Ice Age Trail. As of 2008, the trail consisted of Template:Convert of traditional hiking paths, Template:Convert of multi-use trails, and Template:Convert of connecting roads and sidewalks.<ref name="Ice Age Trail Alliance FAQ">Template:Cite web</ref> As of October 2020, Template:Convert is completed with over Template:Convert connected by connecting routes (usually roads).<ref name="TrailTrials" />

The Ice Age Trail has one of a few National Side Trails, the Timms Hill National Trail.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> National Side Trails are national trails established by the National Trails System Act. The ten-mile Timms Hill Trail connects the Ice Age Trail with Timms Hill, Wisconsin's highest point, which is located in Price County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

The Ice Age Trail began as conservationist Ray Zillmer's idea for having an "Ice Age National Park" of Template:Convert, starting at St. Croix Falls, going south through Madison, northeast through the Kettle Moraine areas, and finally ending near Sturgeon Bay.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> The park would travel through the terminal moraine of the most recent glacier to push through Wisconsin about 10,000 years ago.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> He envisioned that the park would protect features like kames, drumlins, and kettle moraines.<ref name="TrailTrials" />

In 1958, Zillmer founded the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation (now the Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA)).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In a 1959 interview in Wisconsin Alumnus magazine, Zillmer emphasized the importance of prioritizing the project: "This land must be purchased soon, before the population explosion following the opening of the St. Lawrence waterways affects Wisconsin, before the hills are pre-empted by private homes and the land becomes too expensive."<ref name="TrailTrials" />

In December 1960, Zillmer died. The National Park Service decided a few months later, in 1961, that a long park was not feasible.<ref name="TrailTrials" />

In 1964, Wisconsin congressman Henry S. Reuss resurrected the idea, by sponsoring the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve bill, which was passed and signed. It established nine units that he hoped would be connected by a trail (six were utilized).<ref name="TrailTrials" />

In 1968, Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson co-sponsored the National Trails System Act, which established the Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail.<ref name="TrailTrials" />

During the summer of 1974, Reuss’ Legislative Assistant, James H. Rathlesberger, led a team of three Reuss staff routing the trail across Wisconsin.Template:Fact

In 1980, the trail was finally established by an Act of Congress, in large part due to the efforts of Reuss, who a few years before had authored the book On the Trail of the Ice Age (1976).<ref name="TrailTrials" />

The previous year, during the summer of 1979, the first person to backpack the entire length of the Ice Age Trail, which had not yet been formally established, was 20-year-old James J. Staudacher of Shorewood, Wisconsin.<ref name="TrailTrials">Template:Cite news</ref> He started at Potawatomi State Park in May 1979.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> Staudacher received maps with the proposed route and supply packages from Reuss and completed the walk at St. Croix Falls in August.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> Portions of the trail used existing trails in the northern unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest.<ref name="TrailTrials" />

In 2023, the National Park Service recognized the trail as a unit of the National Park Service. Two other national scenic trails also became the country’s newest units of the National Park Service.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Use

The trail is open primarily to hiking, although other activities are allowed where the trail follows other existing routes. A 2019 survey gave an estimated annual usage of 2.3 million people for the trail.<ref name="TrailTrials" />

The trail is divided into just over one hundred segments. These segments range in length from about Template:Convert. Although segmented, the transition between segments is often simply crossing a road running through the woods, where a sign welcomes you to the next segment.Template:Fact

The trail offers numerous options for longer-distance treks, with camping facilities, including shelters, available in both units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. More recently, the Trail Alliance has developed several "dispersed camping areas" (DCAs), spaced to encourage more overnight backpacking treks. As of January 2023, 22 DCAs have been developed.Template:Fact

On the northwestern third of the trail, tent camping is allowed in some areas (particularly in Lincoln and Langlade Counties), provided tents are placed at least Template:Convert from the trail.Template:Fact

As of 2020, 19 local IATA chapters are working to try to turn connecting routes into permanent segments.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> The chapters' biggest obstacle has been acquiring land from private owners and permanently protecting it.<ref name="TrailTrials" /> Several trail chapters offer awards for completing hikes of all segments within their jurisdiction, and the Alliance also has a "cold cache" program to encourage hikers to seek out glacial features along the trail using GPS receivers.Template:Fact

One study of trail users found that those who stay overnight are more likely to camp than use other forms of lodging.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sights along the trail

Primary attractions include topography left by glaciation in the Last Ice Age. Glacial features along the trail include kettles (usually as a kettle lake), potholes, eskers, kames, and glacial erratics. Many of the best examples of glacial features in Wisconsin are exhibited in units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, most of which lie along the trail.

Numerous species of mammals can be seen along the trail, including red fox, American red squirrel, white-tailed deer, porcupine, black bear and grey wolf. Birds seen along the southern part of the trail include the Acadian flycatcher, Henslow's sparrow, red-headed woodpecker or hooded warbler. In contrast, further north white-throated sparrows, ruffed grouse and bald eagles become more common.

Gallery

A creek along the Monches segment in Waukesha County
Yellow blazes mark the path of the trail
A porcupine in Lincoln County's New Wood State Wildlife Area
Western terminus of the trail at Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls
Eastern terminus of the trail at Potawatomi State Park along Wisconsin's Door Peninsula
Sign at the Table Bluff segment near Cross Plains
The Kettlebowl Ski Area near Bryant lies along the trail
Northern landscape in Lincoln County's New Wood State Wildlife Area
Crossing the Portage Canal
Crossing a bog in the Chequamegon National Forest in Taylor County
October view of Picnic Lake west of Cornell
Holy Hill Segment during summer
Holy Hill Segment during fall