Hiking the Ice Age Trail through Sauk and Columbia Counties - Eastern Bifurcation

If you've been hiking in the state of Wisconsin, you've most likely set foot on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT), and may not even realize you have.  And if you have unwittingly set foot on the IAT, there's a good probability you've done it in Sauk County. Devil's Lake State Park in Sauk County is the busiest park in the State of Wisconsin and recently USA Today ranked Devil's Lake the 5th best state park in the US.  If you've hiked at Devil's Lake or even if you've had a picnic along its lakeshore, chances are you've stepped onto the 10.9 mile Devil's Lake Segment of the IAT in Sauk County.

The IAT meanders more than 1,100 miles up, down, and across Wisconsin, along trails, sidewalks, and country roads. The portion of the IAT that passes through Columbia and Sauk Counties, carries the hiker down 37 miles (60 km) of trail and 39.4 miles (63 km) of connecting routes along the eastern birfurcation of the IAT. The IAT trail through Columbia and Sauk Counties carries the hiker through forested areas, fields, trail towns, parks, and across the water highway on the Merrimac Ferry. Views of the glacial terrain are particularly striking along the Lodi Marsh, Eastern Lodi Marsh, Devil's Lake, and Gibraltar Rock Segments.

View along the Gibraltar Rock Segment

Video of the eastern bifurcation of the IAT & 
Connecting routes through Columbia and Sauk Counties

Click each segment and connecting route link for details, the route map, mileage information, and photographs illustrating what you can expect to see along the way:

Eastern Lodi Marsh Segment

City of Lodi Segment

Connecting route from the City of Lodi Segment to the Groves-Pertzborn Segment

Groves-Pertzborn Segment

Connecting route from the Groves-Pertzborn Segment to the Gibraltar Rock (Part I) Segment

Gibraltar Segment (Part II) and Merrimac Ferry

Connecting route from the Gibraltar Rock Segment to the Merrimac Segment, Merrimac Segment, and Roznos Meadow portion of the Devil's Lake Segment


Devil's Lake East Bluff to Roznos Meadow 

Devil's Lake West Bluff

More Devil's Lake

Devil's Lake Segment - Johnson Moraine through Campground area

Sauk Point Segment

Connecting Route from the Sauk Point Segment to the Portage Canal Segment Part I - Parfrey's Glen to State Highway 33

Connecting Route from the Sauk Point Segment to the Portage Canal Segment Part II - State Highway 33 to Levee Road

Connecting Route from the Sauk Point Segment to the Portage Canal Segment Part III - Pine Island State Wildlife Area

Portage Canal Segment and Connecting Route to Pine Island State Wildlife Area

Connecting Route from the Portage Canal Segment to the John Muir Park Segment 




One of the nice things about the IAT through Sauk and Columbia Counties are the forays into trail towns such as Lodi and Portage which allow hikers access amenities such as restaurants, shopping and lodging. If you hike these segments during winter, they get very icy and the use of micro-spikes and trekking poles in some areas is highly recommended. 

Along the connecting route from the Sauk Point Segment to the Portage Canal Segment

Devil's Lake Segment of the IAT

Connecting route between the Merrimac and Gibraltar Rock Segments of the IAT includes the Merrimac Ferry

That's all for now, let's get outdoors and keep our wildplaces wild!