Hiking the Deerfield Segment of the Ice Age Trail

On a late September morning I hiked the Deerfield Segment of the Ice Age Trail (IAT) in Waushara County, Wisconsin. I parked in the sandy IAT trail head parking lot about 0.2 miles from the trailhead kiosk on Beechnut drive and took the white-blazed loop trail over to the IAT trailhead. 

I headed east into an orange sunrise. Cool morning air put a bounce in my step. Before I was a quarter of a mile down the trail I startled white-tailed deer on two separate occasions. Within a mile I startled a grouse. Dabs of fall color splattered among the green foretold cooler, more colorful days ahead. Each colorful blossom I encountered surprised me. Purple asters and thistles, and yellow snap dragons and ragweed lined the trails. I even saw fruit blossoms looking very late to the party in September rather than May. 

Trailside bee on ragweed.

Asters

Strange to see a berry blossom in late September rather than May

Near the Beechnut Drive end of the Deerfield Segment I wandered down the blue-blazed 0.12 mile spur to a pretty Kettle Lake. Then I headed back uphill and hiked on. Many trails crisscrossed the Deerfield Segment of the IAT, including an old stagecoach trail from Wautoma to Plainfield. I found I needed to diligently keep my eyes open for yellow-blazes to stay on the IAT. 

Old deer stand

Along the trail

Maples

I saw a couple of thick scatterings of many feathers on the ground, signs of predators at work. Many deer stands, old and new lined the trail. The trail closes for deer gun season and based on the number of deer stands on this short 3.7 mile stretch of the IAT, it is probably for the best. Several plots of planted pine lined the trail. The plantation pines smelled amazing, in their cool, restful rows. Sandhill cranes squawked overhead. Songbirds sang. What a great day to be on trail.

Pines

Eastern terminus of the Deerfield Segment on County Highway O

When I arrived at the eastern terminus of the Deerfield Segment of the IAT on County Highway O, I turned back and re-walked the trail back to the parking area on Beechnut Drive. This time I took the white-blazed parking lot loop in the opposite direction in an uphill direction. Fall days make for truly beautiful hikes on the IAT.

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

Deerfield Segment Map

Total Distance Covered -  3.9 miles (6.3 km) one way (3.7 mile IAT segment plus 0.2 mile loop trail to parking).

Difficulty - Easy to moderate with some light hilly spots. The end of the loop to the parking lot that begins opposite the 0.12 spur trail to the kettle lake (signed as a pond) has more of a hill, I'd rate as moderate.

Trail Conditions - The trail well maintained, wide in most places, and a dry, 51°F (10.6°C). 

Highlights -  Asters, snapdragons, other wildflowers, spotting deer and a scaring up a grouse.

Total Ice Age Trail Miles to Date - Total official IAT trail distance completed to date - 470 miles (756 km).

Amenities - There is trail head parking for the IAT on  Beechnut Drive 0.2 miles from the western terminus of the Deerfiled Segment. A white-blazed loop trail runs between the IAT and the parking lot.

Location - Parked in the IAT trail head parking on Beechnut Drive.