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. 

How to Make Your First Camping Trip with a Playdate in Tow a Success

Found a new trick for getting the kids to bed early on a sleep-over. Take them cold weather camping! With the sun down by 5:30 pm and an overnight low that dipped below freezing, they stayed busy and active, asked to climb into the tent early, and were snuggled in and sleeping by 8:30 pm. All of that aside, here's how we made our first camping trip with our child's inexperienced friend a success.

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.

Spooky Halloween Fun Camping at High Cliff State Park

Sometimes the stars align and present wonderful camping weather. This was one of those times. We enjoyed a wonderful, spooky, fun October weekend camping at High Cliff State Park. Highlights included trick-or-treating along the Halloween Walk, hiking the trails, and a visit with relatives to admire their award winning pumpkins and long gourds.

Family Backpacking Trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Famous for its gorgeous rock formations and cliffs along the south shore of Lake Superior in Upper Michigan, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore can be visited by tour boat, kayak, driving tour, or on foot. We chose the latter. With both campgrounds and backcountry sites available, we opted to backpack which may be done by permit at $5 per night per person. Pictured Rocks is located between Munising and Grand Marais on Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Connecting Route Between Albany and Janesville Part 1: Gibbs Lake County Park to Arbor Ridge Segment of the Ice Age Trail

As cool, cloudy mornings make for good road walking, one look at the forecast, and I decided to start on the road walk between the Arbor Ridge and Albany Segments of the Ice Age Trail (IAT). I opted to try the recently published new route west of Janesville in place of the old Highway A route, also known among some IAT hikers as "the dreaded A".

Boundary Waters 2016 - Little Indian Sioux EP#14 to Campsites on Shell, Hustler, Gebeonequet, Little Beartrack, and Loon Lakes.

The  BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area) is the kind of magical place that casts a spell over visitors, drawing them back. Our family first visited the BWCA three years ago. We now return each year for our fix of loons, lakes, and love of the wilderness. Each year we add a day or two, and leave feeling that we could have used a bit more time.