With snow underfoot and clouds in the sky, I headed past the wooden Walla Hi County Park Sign and began the short 1.9 mile Walla Hi Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). The Walla Hi County Park, east of Kiel, Wisconsin in Manitowoc County, is a small, pleasantly hilly park with hiking and equestrian trails. I zig-zagged south along the trail for about a half mile heading lower, until I reached a charming covered bridge.
On a cloudy November morning, cold and a nearly colorless gray, I settled for a road walk to avoid the deer hunters on trail. Walking briskly to keep warm, I walked the the rural 5.3 mile (8.5km) connecting route between the LaBudde Creek and Walla Hi Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). Other than the brief crossing of busy Wisconsin Highway 32 / 57, the route meandered through towns not large enough to be easily recognized as towns.
Thinking of the short and easy segment I had planned for the day I hiked out with confidence. The LaBudde Creek Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) has about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) of trail and 0.8 miles (1.3 km) of road-walking. The terrain is not particularly challenging and the distance is short. The hills are pleasant. Many birds and squirrels are seen along this segment of the IAT.
On a cloudy gray November morning, I walked the relatively short 4.4 mile (7.1 km) connecting route between the Greenbush and LaBudde Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). The air was cold, snow dotted the ground in patches. The moment I arrived I heard gunshots, and I felt glad to be road walking in a direction away from this segment of the trail. Hunting season is upon us.
Despite the cold and wet weather, thousands of Leaf Peepers and Trick-or-Treaters flocked to High Cliff State Park for the 2019 Halloween Walk. Our daughter Ams brought a school friend along, and we arrived on Friday evening. We set up camp and enjoyed a nice campfire to take the chill off. Before we knew it he night was over.
Nothing feels better than stepping onto the trail after time away. For the first time since the snow melted in April, I stepped back onto the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). I parked at the trailhead parking along State Highway 67 and started hiking north along a somewhat flat, mucky, narrow trail cutting through the wet morning grass. Now autumn, the chill in the air and the colors starting filled me with true joy. Near mile one, the trail became hilly and I passed the Greenbush Kettle and the Kettle Moraine State Forest (KMSF) Northern Unit Backpack Shelter #5.
