Hiking the Plover River Segment of the Ice Age Trail

The Plover River Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) offers a 5.9 mile (9.5 km) forested hike with manageable hills, swampy low lying areas filled with small boulders, and gorgeous views of the peaceful Plover River. Hiking this segment in late November offered my husband and me bug-free conditions in the swampy areas. That said, extra care is a must when hiking this segment during the snow season due to hard-packed ice and snow on boardwalks, rocks and slippery hills.

Hiking the Connecting Route between the Tisch Mills Segment and the Kewaunee Segment of the Ice Age Trail

Sometimes in life you find yourself thinking there's got to be a better way to do a thing. Preparing for this hike, I looked at the suggested 25.3 mile route between the Tisch Mills and Kewaunee Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAG). Being that I am a section hiker, not a thru-hiker, no compelling reason exists to do the entire IAT and all of it's connecting routes in a manner that traverses purely east to west, or purely west to east.

Hiking the Connecting Route between the East Twin River Segment and the Tisch Mills Segment of the Ice Age Trail

To officially complete the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT), one must hike all trail segments and connect them by foot along connecting routes of one's choice. Last spring I finished the East Twin River and Tisch Mills Segments of the IAT, but not the road walk joining the two. Our family's summer canoe trips and camping adventures took center stage starting in May. This weekend, with an autumn chill in the air and bright maples leaves blowing across the driveaway, I felt that old urge calling me back to the IAT. 

Frost River Loop - BWCA 2022

My husband, our teenage daughter and I set aside 10 days to spend together canoe tripping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in August, 2022. We wanted to single-portage along a loop route, and put in some travel time as well as time laying around on a couple of nice campsites and doing, well, a whole lot of nothing. With an entry permit for Entry Point #50 Cross Bay Lake in hand, we studied our maps.

Hiking the Sturgeon Bay Segment of the Ice Age Trail

The majority of the Sturgeon Bay Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) overlaps with the Ahnappee State Trail. Starting near the corner of County Road H and State Highway 42 in Maplewood, the trail heads northeast on a raised railway bed that has been converted to a multiuse trail. A swamp lines this raised railbed and is a good viewing spot for deer and water birds. This segment of the IAT is a favorite of mine.

Hiking the Tisch Mills Segment of the Ice Age Trail

 

A small brown sign on a hill overlooking County Highway B marks the southern terminus of the Tisch Mills Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic trail. On a windy April morning, I headed up the grassy hill from County Highway B onto the trail. I nearly missed the small trail sign, as it is on a hill up off the road and follows private property along the edge of a farm field. When you do this segment, keep your eyes open!

Hiking the Mishicot Segment and the East Twin River Segment of the Ice Age Trail

On a windy February morning, I hiked the Mishicot and East Twin River Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) and the connecting route that links the segments. With piercing wind gust up to 39 miles per hour, I put on a balaclava and pulled a large rain jacket over my fleece as a wind shell. After cinching up the hood of the rain jacket around my balaclava, I began the hike.

2021 Canoe Trip to the Bittersweet Lakes State Natural Area

The Bittersweet Lakes is located within the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, in Vilas County, Wisconsin. On a hot, July morning we loaded our gear and the canoe onto our car and headed off into the morning. We arrived to a sandy parking area, buggy and hot from the morning sun. 

Hiking the Connection Route between the Point Beach Segment and the Mishicot Segment of the Ice Age Trail

On a cold January morning I arrived in Mishicot planning to park at the Mishicot Village Park and begin hiking only to find the lot unplowed. Having difficulty seeing where the parking lot ended and the park greens started, I drove around Mishicot looking for a place to park off the snowy streets. Since it happened to be the weekend, I decided to park in a freshly plowed visitor's spot in front of the Mishicot Elementary School.

Hiking the Point Beach Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Like many of the other segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT), I hiked the Point Beach Segment of the IAT twice, once out and once back. I hiked the first 2.1 miles of the Point Beach Segment in early December when I finished the Two Rivers Segment with no snow and ice. I returned to finish the other 8 miles of the segment in early January, this time with hard packed ice and snow on the trail.