The Brooklyn Wildlife Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Section hiking the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) is my winter treat. At the pace I'm going, looks like I'll enjoy this treat for many winters to come. After parking on Frenchtown Road at the tee made with Pillar Road in Belleville, I began to hike the 2.5 mile (4 km) portion of the Montrose Segment leftover from my last IAT hike before heading into the 3.5 mile (5.6 km) Brooklyn Wildlife Area. As I stepped from the car I enjoyed watching the fat, red moon from the night before setting and heard an owl call.

Montrose Segment of the Ice Age Trail

Astronomical twilight tempered the darkness to a nearly imperceptible extent as I parked at the Badger State Trail parking area on Sayles Trail. Able to see only a tunnel of white heading into a sea of black and the twinkling stars above, I headed south on the National Scenic Ice Age Trail (IAT). This portion of the IAT overlaps with the Badger State trail, a 40 mile multi-use trail that travels from Madison to the Illinois border.

Connecting Route from the Verona Segment to the Montrose Segment of the Ice Age Trail

Snow flurries greeted me as I began to walk the connecting route between the Verona and Montrose Segments of the Ice Age Trail. Although the traffic roars on County Road Pb, the remainder of the walk proved pleasant with little traffic. After parking at the Prairie Moraine County Park on Wesner Lane just off County Road Pb, I walked south on County Road Pb, east on Sunset Drive, south on Borchert Road, and east on Purcell Road to the Badger State Trail. This road walk ranks an easy 2.9 miles (4.7 km), 5.8 miles (9.3 km)  considering of the walk back to the car.

The Verona Segment of the Ice Age Trail

The Verona Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (IAT) provides a 6.4 mile (10.3 km) stroll through county parks and suburbia, with convenient places to hop off-trail for a bite to eat. The trail meets up with various other biking and hiking trails along the way, crosses several roads, and follows along County Highway M for a time.

Reflections on 2015

So much changes in a year, and so much stays the same. Jobs and people come and go out of our lives, but our wild places, our places of beauty and solitude, remain. With so many truly beautiful outdoor spaces to be thankful for, many of them close to home, I feel blessed. It is my hope that by sharing my love of these places, others will come to love them as well, leading to their preservation for future generations.

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.

Hiking and Camping at Governor Dodge State Park, December 2015

On a crisp, cold December day we headed to Governor Dodge State Park in Iowa County on Wisconsin State Highway 23 to test our gear for cooler weather. We've typically avoided camping when daytime highs fall below freezing. With  a dusting of snow on the ground, and the day's high at 25°F (-4°C), we set up our 3 season tent, immediately noticing the stiffness of the fabric. Dressed with long underwear, a fleece mid-layer, and a parka, I kept warm for the most part with the exception of my feet and hands. My hands felt coldest after exposing them for cooking.