Lodi Valley Chapter

Chapter Info and Activities

The Lodi Valley Chapter maintains over nine miles of beautiful Ice Age Trail in southern Columbia County as well as the segment from the Dane County line south though the loop at the Lodi Marsh.

The Ice Age Trail in this region passes through some unique geological features and diverse ecological habitats, giving hikers an excellent experience of glacially shaped valleys, bluffs and drumlins while passing through prairies, savannas and woodlands. The Trail also wanders though the historical city of Lodi, where you may be tempted off the Trail by our restaurants, pubs, German bakery and specialty shops.

Recent DNR land acquisitions will allow several more miles of the Ice Age Trail to be built in the next few years, giving hikers the opportunity to walk from the Merrimac Ferry on Lake Wisconsin, over several glacial bluffs, including Gibraltar Rock, and out to the Lodi Marsh, with much less road connection along the way.

During the year the chapter offers a variety of hikes and outings and hosts an annual 5K and 10K walk/run on National Trails Day in June. Chapter meetings are the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM at Downtown Coffee Grounds on Main Street in Lodi. Please browse through our Chapter Calendar for upcoming activities. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events!

For more information on chapter activities and/or hiking the Ice Age Trail in this region, contact one of the chapter’s leaders: Bill Beers, Chapter Coordinator (608-592-2031); Bill Welch, Assistant Coordinator (608-592-5666); Luke Kloberdanz, Trail Maintenance Coordinator (608-592-1707); Joanna Fanney, Chapter Secretary (608-592-2031); Barbara Woodhouse, Chapter Treasurer (608-217-2082) or Paulette Walker Smith, Website Coordinator (608-592-1510). Additional chapter info is available at our madison.com communities page.

Chapter Hiking Award Program

Whether you’re an avid hiker looking for a new challenge or an occasional trekker looking for inspiration to get out more often, a new hiking program is now available that may be just the thing for you! The Lodi Valley and Baraboo Hills chapters of the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation have partnered to create the “Glacial Drifters” hiking award program. This project is funded in part by a Healthy Life Inititiative Grant from the Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital Foundation. Participants in the program will earn an award for hiking all of the approximately 50 miles of the Ice Age Trail within these two chapters’ areas, with the hiking to be done on each individual’s own timetable. Registered participants will be sent maps and information about each of the various segments along with a hiking log for tracking progress.

To receive more information about the Glacial Drifters hiking award program contact Patti Herman (608-592-5666, billpatti@charter.net) or Bob Lange (608-356-2427, bob@aldoleopold.org).

Featured Activity

Most recently, chapter volunteers and the Lodi Middle and High Schools have been building the largest human-made structure on the Ice Age Trail, a 150-ft bridge spanning a ravine between the middle and high schools. Based on a 16th Century Chinese Rainbow Bridge, the bridge was designed by US Forest Products Lab forester and chapter member Ron Wolfe. The twin arches, decking and railing are constructed of black locust and demonstrate the economic use of small diameter, invasive species. Many hundreds of volunteer hours of Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation members, students and community members have gone into this amazing project. If you walk the Trail through the city you will come to the bridge.