Hiking the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment of the Ice Age Trail

 

On a clear February morning, I parked at the Skunk and Foster Lakes State Natural Area along N. Foley Drive in Scandinavia, Wisconsin. I exhaled long, white streams into the frigid air, and zipped my down jacket all the way up to my chin. I pulled my hood up over my hat. It was time to begin my section hike of the Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). 

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 Deerfield Segment and the Emmons Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail

I set out on a crisp fall morning to walk the the connecting route between the Deerfield and Emmons Creek Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). With October colors popping and geese calling overhead, I left my bike at the terminus of the Deerfield Segment of the Ice Age Trail on County Road O and parked at Roberts Park in the Village of Wild Rose. Cold wind rustled the leaves as I began walking through Wild Rose. I enjoyed an outpouring of Halloween decorations and seeing wildroses still in bloom. 

Hiking the Kewaunee Segment of the Ice Age Trail

The Kewaunee River Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) follows a portion of the  crushed limestone Ahnapee StateTtrail along the Kewaunee River from Harold Ruckelberg Park in Casco Junction to Kewaunee. The multiuse Ahnapee State Trail is does not require the purchase of a trail pass. I hiked a portion of the Kewaunee River Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) on a cold winter day and returned on a warm May day to finish. 

Hiking the Emmons Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail

Even on a wet, foggy morning in the October cold, a hike on the Ice Age Trail (IAT) is worth the dealing with the drive through the fog. I parked at the 2nd Avenue IAT trailhead parking area realizing the fog had delayed the already October-late first light of morning, and I had forgotten to pack a headlamp. I waited until first light made a faint outline of the trailhead, and began hiking into the cool fog. My shoes soaked through cold and wet and a glaze of water on my glasses blurred my vision before I had hiked more than a couple yards.

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 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.

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. 

Hiking the Connecting Route between the Walla Hi and Manitowoc Segments of the Ice Age Trail

Footpaths through the prairies, wetlands and forests of Wisconsin beat road-walking most times in my book. I typically like to avoid fast moving cars and narrow shoulders - with one exception. Deer hunting season becomes road-walking season for me, and for many an Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) hiker. When walking connecting routes along the IAT during deer gun season, it is not unusual to hear gunshots, see deer dashing across country roads, and to feel great relief to be on road rather than on trail. In fact, many segments of the IAT are closed during deer gun season. It is in this spirit I road-walked between the Walla Hi and Manitowoc Segments of the IAT.

Hiking the LaBudde Creek Segment of the Ice Age Trail

Thinking of the short and easy segment I had planned for the day I hiked out with confidence. The LaBudde Creek Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) has about 2.7 miles (4.3 km) of trail and 0.8 miles (1.3 km) of road-walking. The terrain is not particularly challenging and the distance is short. The hills are pleasant. Many birds and squirrels are seen along this segment of the IAT.

Hiking the Connecting Route from the Greenbush Segment to the LaBudde Segment of the Ice Age Trail

On a cloudy gray November morning, I walked the relatively short 4.4 mile (7.1 km) connecting route between the Greenbush and LaBudde Segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT). The air was cold, snow dotted the ground in patches.  The moment I arrived I heard gunshots, and I felt glad to be road walking in a direction away from this segment of the trail. Hunting season is upon us.

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.

The Madison Segment of the Ice Age Trail

With temperatures just above freezing and no snow on the ground, I headed out for a brief day-after-Christmas walk on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT), tucked into my schedule between the weekend's holiday celebrations. After parking at the Ice Age Trail parking lot on the corner of High Point and McKee Roads, I set off to hike the Madison Segment of the IAT, located in Dane County.