Ice Age National ScenicTrail

• Partners
• Trail in State Parks and Forests
• Recreation and Trail Uses

The Ice Age Trail is a National Scenic Trail located entirely within Wisconsin. The trail is also one of 42 designated Wisconsin State Trails, and the only one specifically designated as a "State Scenic Trail". From Interstate State Park on the Minnesota border to Potawatomi State Park on Lake Michigan, the Ice Age Trail winds for more than 1,000 miles, following the edge of the last continental glacier in Wisconsin.

Through dense forests and open prairies, the Ice Age Trail takes hikers past some of Wisconsin's most diverse scenery.
DNR Photo by David Birren

One of only eight National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail is intended to be a premier hiking trail and conservation resource for silent sport and outdoor enthusiasts. The trail traverses some of Wisconsin’s most scenic landscapes and helps tell the story of the last Ice Age by highlighting Wisconsin's unique glacial features.

The Ice Age Trail travels through 30 counties on state, federal, county and private lands, connecting dozens of communities. There are hundreds of trailheads and access points located along the trail route. More than 600 miles of trail are open. The completed sections of the trail are connected by less-traveled roadways and other temporary routes. Ice Age Trail Maps.

Yellow blazes help hikers identify the route of the Ice Age Trail.
Photo by Tim Malzhan, IAPTF

Recreation Along the Ice Age Trail

The Ice Age Trail is primarily an off-road hiking and backpacking trail which provides excellent opportunities for sightseeing, wildlife viewing and bird watching. In winter some sections of the trail are open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The few sections of the Ice Age Trail which use the same corridor as state rail trails, such as the Sugar River State Trail, allow for bicycling and snowmobiling on the rail trail corridor. ATV's and other motorized vehicles are not permitted on any segment of the Ice Age Trail.

High on the bluffs of Devil's Lake State Park, rest along the Ice Age Trail and enjoy a broad vista of Lake Wisconsin.
DNR Photo by Joseph Warren

Camping

Opportunities are available for camping along the Ice Age Trail in national, state and county forests, and in many state and county parks, including some private campgrounds. Campgrounds can vary from primitive walk-in campsites to facilities complete with electric hook-ups. When planning a trip, it is best to check ahead of time for camping locations and availability. The Ice Age Trail Atlas [exit DNR] and Companion Guide [exit DNR], which are available for sale from the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation, provide camping and lodging details for all segments of the trail.

You can make online reservations for some state park and forest campgrounds.

Hunting

Many of the state parks, forests, wildlife areas and other public lands are open for hunting during official hunting seasons. Hikers are recommended to wear blaze orange when hiking in areas that permit hunting. During the Wisconsin gun-deer season, some sections of the Ice Age Trail may be closed to hiking.

Fishing

A Wisconsin fishing license is required to fish in the many lakes and streams along the trail.

Autumn colors at Wood Lake County Park in Taylor County.
DNR Photo by Joseph Warren

Ice Age Trail in State Parks and Forests

The Ice Age Trail goes through several state and federal lands in Wisconsin, including traveling many miles through county and private lands. In addition to the state parks and forests listed below (from west to east along the trail), the Ice Age Trail travels through many state wildlife and fishery areas, and some state natural areas. Ice Age Trail Maps.

• Interstate State Park, Saint Croix Falls
• Straight Lake State Park, near Frederick
• Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area, near New Auburn
• Brunet Island State Park, Cornell
• Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest [exit DNR]
• Hartman Creek State Park, near Waupaca


Stone steps lead the way up the bluff trails at Devil's Lake State Park.
DNR Photo by Bonnie Gruber

• Devil's Lake State Park and Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area, near Baraboo
• Kettle Moraine State Forest
  • Southern Unit, Eagle
  • Lapham Peak Unit, near Delafield
  • Loew Lake Unit, near Monches
  • Pike Lake Unit, near Hartford
  • Northern Unit, near Campbellsport
• Point Beach State Forest, near Two Rivers
• Potawatomi State Park, near Sturgeon Bay

The Ice Age Trail includes parts of these other Wisconsin state trails:

• Gandy Dancer, St. Croix Falls to Frederick
• Tuscobia, Rice Lake to Birchwood
• Mountain-Bay, near Hatley
• Military Ridge, near Verona
• Badger, near Fitchburg
• Sugar River, Monticello to Albany
• Glacial Drumlin, near Wales
• Eisenbahn, near Kewaskum
• Ahnapee, Casco Junction to Sturgeon Bay

Interstate State Park, Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area and the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine Forest, all units of the Ice Age Scientific Reserve, have Ice Age Educational and Interpretive Centers with major displays in glacial history and geology.

Open year-round, hikers can enjoy all four seasons on the Ice Age Trail.
DNR Photo

Ice Age Trail Partners

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and its partners, the National Park Service and the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation, cooperatively work together to develop and maintain the Ice Age Trail. Additionally the DNR works with many volunteers, county and local governments and private land owners to continually open new sections of the trail. An agreement [PDF 192KB] between the DNR, National Park Service and Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation explains the roles of the partners.

National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) [exit DNR] officially became involved with the Ice Age Trail in 1980 when Congress and the President designated the trail as a National Scenic Trail. The NPS works with the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation and DNR on the construction, funding and protection of the trail and coordinates the planning process for the Ice Age Trail corridor. The DNR and NPS also work together on another National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin, the North Country Trail [exit DNR].

Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation

The Ice Age Park and Trial Foundation (IAPTF) [exit DNR] is a nonprofit, volunteer organization whose mission is to create, support and protect the many segments of the Ice Age Trail. The IAPTF was established in 1958 when the first segments of the Ice Age Trail were being built in the Kettle Moraine Forest. There are 21 local IAPTF chapters across Wisconsin. IAPTF volunteers play a key role in constructing new segments of the Ice Age Trail and help keep existing segments open.

Mobile Skills Crew

The Mobile Skills Crew (MSC) [exit DNR] is a program of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation and is supported by the DNR and National Park Service. From spring to fall, MSC projects take place on Ice Age Trail segments throughout Wisconsin. MSC-trained volunteers specialize in working safe, having fun and building and maintaining high-quality, sustainable Ice Age Trail segments. Camping, education and environmentally friendly trail building techniques are always components of MSC projects. No experience is necessary to attend, and volunteers are always welcome to participate in MSC projects.

For more information, ask Wisconsin State Parks, (608) 266-2181.