Hiking the Connecting Route from the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment to the New Hope-Iola Ski Hill Segment

Waupaca County will forever be known to me as a land where dogs chase hikers down the road. I started the connecting route between the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment to the New Hope-Iola Ski Hill Segment after I parked in the DNR parking area on Gilman Road. From there I hiked south on Gurholt Road. 

Hiking the Ice Age Trail through Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties

If you love to hike up and down rolling hills and along the tops of wooded esker ridges, you will thoroughly enjoy the Fond du Lac and Sheboygan County portions of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). This stretch consists of a delightful 30 trail miles through the Northern Kettle Moraine in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties and only 10 road miles. The Kettle Moraine is known for its eskers and kames with kettles and small lakes. 

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. 

Hiking the Greenwood Segment of the Ice Age Trail and the Connecting Route to the Mecan River Segment

Turkeys strutted in the middle of Buttercup Drive near Coloma, not minding my car a bit. I stopped and waited for them to clear the road. Excited, I thought about seeing turkeys this close up along my hike. When they finally moved off, I parked my car at the trail head parking at the northern end of the Mecan River Segment of the Ice age trail. As I hopped out of the car, my feet flew out from under me. Yes, it had done more than a little mid-April snow dusting in this area. Freezing rain had encrusted the 4 to 5 inches of snow covering the area. I would definitely be hiking in micro-spikes.

Hiking the Ice Age Trail through Marquette County

A trail lover at heart, I took a deep breath, sucked it up, and began my road-walk through Marquette County. Thirty plus miles of road-walking had me avoiding this county for some time. As I walked down country roads as the sun rose, and I watched golden leaves twirl in the wind I got to thinking. Thanks to crisp, sunny autumn weather, this walk I had been avoiding wound up providing more beauty and solitude than I could ever have imagined.

Hiking the Connecting Route from the John Muir Segment to the Chaffee Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail

When autumn rolls around, road-walking the connecting routes along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) offers an alternative to hiking on trails hunters like to frequent. This fall I walked from the John Muir Memorial County Park (John Muir Segment of the IAT) to the Chaffee Creek Segment of the IAT, breaking the route into several fall walks. I deviated from the suggested connecting route shown on the Ice Age Trail Alliance's website, shaving off about 10 miles (16 km) of road-walking.

Hiking the Connecting Route from the Portage Canal to the John Muir Park Segment of the Ice Age Trail

 Since Thanksgiving weekend occurs at the height of gun hunting season, and with the new law that children as young as 5 years old can hunt, I decided to knock out a few road-walk miles over the holiday weekend. I hiked the connecting route from the Portage Canal Segment to the John Muir Park Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). 

Connecting Route from the Cedar Lakes Segment to the West Bend Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Crisp, sunny autumn days provide the best hiking conditions. Not too hot, not too cold, not too humid, not too buggy. At dawn on a fine autumn morning, I set out to hike the connecting route (CR) from the Cedar Lakes Segment to the West Bend Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT).  This connecting route stretches 5.5 miles (8.9 km) along the back roads and county highways of Washington County, Wisconsin. While I don't much care for the road-walking experience that makes up nearly half of the IAT, the scenic beauty along this route by far made up for the off-trail hike.

Hiking the Ice Age Trail through Green County

Hiking along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) through Green County in autumn and winter, the hiker will find icy old railroad beds that have been converted into the multi-use Badger State Trail and Sugar River Trail. Through Green County, the IAT also takes that hiker  through wildlife areas, and down country roads along connecting routes. Views of the Sugar River and plentiful wildlife sightings greet the hiker, with the stretch through the Albany wildlife area providing an opportunity for a particularly large variety of bird sightings.