Hiking the IAT through Rock County

Smell honeysuckle's sweet orange scent along urban bicycle trails. Take in the colorful, ornate architecture in small town Wisconsin. Spot turkeys along quiet country roads. Hear warning honks as mama geese hustle goslings away from passersby along the shore of the Rock River. The Ice Age Trail through Rock County awaits. With each season the trail renews itself, with sections I've hiked in the past made new by the change in seasons.

Connecting Route between Janesville and Albany Part 3: Leonard Leota Park to Albany

Polishing off the new road walk between the Albany and Arbor Ridge Segments of the Ice Age Trail (IAT) feels great. After much road walking, I feel unexpectedly giddy at the thought of getting back to a bit of trail walking. I parked my car at the Sugar River Trail parking area at 701 4th Street in Albany, Wisconsin. I followed the IAT along the Sugar River Trail about a quarter of a mile. From here, the road walk began. 

Connecting Route Between Albany and Janesville Part 2: Gibbs Lake County Park to Leonard Leota Park in Evansville

With unseasonably warm November temperatures in the forecast, I continued the road walk between the Arbor Ridge and Albany Segments of the Ice Age Trail (IAT). When I began this road walk, I decided to try the new route west of Janesville in place of the old Highway A route. The Highway A route, known to IAT hikers as "The Dreaded A", runs east to west for about 21 miles and supports a relatively high volume of traffic. The new route detours through Evansville in place of the "Dreaded A", making Evansville the newest trail town along the IAT.