To say a connecting route is acceptable, I am referring to acceptability towards fulfilling the requirements to have officially hiked the IAT end to end. To do this connecting route, I chose to walk along the Ahnappee State Trail from Algoma to Harold Reckelberg Park.
One of many farmsteads along the Ahnapee State Trail
Sunrise along the Ahnapee State Trail
Plenty of signage along the trail
The crushed limestone Ahnapee State Trail is a multiuse trail and does not require the purchase of a trail pass. I left my bicycle at one end of the day's hike, and my car at the other in the County Highway M parking area 12.7 miles away from my bike, and began to walk.
Typical view of this trail
Because trail heads through farm country along an old rail bed, much of the trail looked like two tire tracks cut into short grass heading into a distant tunnel of trees. However, I also enjoyed views of small towns, creeks, rivers, and fields. Some of the highlights of the walk included many appletrees filling the air with the scent of ripe apples, much ragweed - beware allergy sufferers, and spotting deer ahead on the trail at least 4 different times. The bird sightings were frequent and included hawks, sandhill cranes, migrating geece, and even some free range chickens.
Deer on the Trail
Many apple trees along the trail
A number of road crossings
Apples falling in the trail
Also many vines along the trail
I was greeting by roosters crowing in the trail amongst the free range hens
As far as difficulty is concerned, the hills are gently sloping and the trail is easy to walk. The most difficult aspect of the trail is the distance. There are plenty of crossroads for a drop off or a pick up if you do not wish to hike as far. That's all for now, let's get outdoors and keep our wild places wild.
Map of the connecting route between the Forestville and Kewaunee Segmetnes of the IAT
Total Distance Covered - 12.8 miles (20.6 km) one way.
Difficulty - Easy.
Difficulty - Easy.
Trail Conditions - A beatiful day that started out cool at 46°F(8°C) and warmed up to 70°F(21°C). Didn't see anyone else on the trail until after 8:30 am when it became quite busy.
Highlights - Leave beginning to turn red and gold. Many apple trees along the trail. Saw deer on 4 separate occasions.
Total Ice Age Trail Miles to Date - Total official IAT trail distance completed to date - 570 miles (912 km).
Amenities - Trail head parking in many places including, but not limited to Sunset Road in Casco Junction, County Road M, and in Casco. Casco and Algoma, and Kewaunee offer small town amenities including dining and filling stations. The only "trailside" restroom I found was the porto-potty at Harold Reckelberg park.
Location - Parked at County Highway M Ahnapee State Trail parking area.
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