Great Progress: Trail Reroute Underway in the Blue Hills

More than one mile of tread built thanks to volunteers!

128 dedicated volunteers generously donated 4,500 service hours to build more than one mile of new tread on the Blue Hills Segment. Photo by Cameron Gillie.
128 dedicated volunteers generously donated 4,500 service hours to build more than one mile of new tread on the Blue Hills Segment. Photo by Cameron Gillie.
So, after years of patiently waiting, 128 volunteers arrived with their sleeves rolled up, ready to work. They enthusiastically churned through the construction notes—the section-by-section to-do list—collectively donating 4,500 service hours. Crews built a three-quarters-mile-long section of four-step tread, completing the last page of the construction notes by the end of the day on Thursday.

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High-Quality Tread Improves the Hiker Experience on the Greenbush Segment

Thanks to volunteers, 4,800 feet of sustainable tread exists!

122 dedicated volunteers generously donated 2,687 service hours to build 4,800 feet of tread on the Greenbush Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
122 dedicated volunteers generously donated 2,687 service hours to build 4,800 feet of tread on the Greenbush Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
Built 30-plus years ago, the nearly 9-mile Greenbush Segment winding through the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest was due for some attention. Especially the section of Ice Age Trail south of State Highway 23. In that spot, the Trail traveled straight up and down hills along a rocky, rooted path. Instead of enjoying the views, hikers had to be cautious about where they put their feet. A reroute to ensure a safer, more enjoyable experience was in order.

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New Puncheon and Stepping Stones Keep Boots Dry on the Plover River Segment

Cheerful volunteer crews embrace muddy conditions, getting good work done!

107 dedicated volunteers generously donated 3,366 service hours to build new puncheon and stepping stones on the Plover River Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner
107 dedicated volunteers generously donated 3,366 service hours to build new puncheon and stepping stones on the Plover River Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner
Built a decade ago, the Plover River Segment needed some attention, especially the nearly one-mile-long section between STH-52 and Village Road. Picturesque and famous for its river crossing, many hiking boots had churned up the mud-prone tread along this stretch. Now, 107 volunteers collectively donated 3,366 service hours to remedy the situation and elevate the hiker experience with lengths of puncheon and strategically placed granite boulders.

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Volunteers Spruce Up Grandfather Falls Segment

A small maintenance crew persevered through heat and humidity for a successful event in Lincoln County!

The Lincoln County Maintenance Sweep saw 24 volunteers who donated 599 service hours, plus received assistance from WisCorps members, at the Grandfather Falls Segment.
The Lincoln County Maintenance Sweep saw 24 volunteers who donated 599 service hours, plus received assistance from WisCorps members, at the Grandfather Falls Segment.
Despite a rainy forecast and driving through a deluge, volunteers remained committed to helping members of the Northwoods Chapter spruce up Lincoln County’s most popular segment: Grandfather Falls. Mother Nature rewarded their dedication by providing three rain-free work days but heaped on the heat and humidity. Evening rain storms made for exciting sky-watching and raindrop dodging.

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Thanks to Exemplary Teamwork, the Plover River Segment has New Stepping Stones

These new stepping stones will keep boots dry for hikers!

54 volunteers donated 1,726 service hours to place 229 stepping stones on the Plover River Segment. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
54 volunteers donated 1,726 service hours to place 229 stepping stones on the Plover River Segment. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
“This project was one of my all-time favorites,” said Dave Caliebe, Trail Manager for the Ice Age Trail Alliance. “The event’s narrow scope meant all the crews did the same things: rock shopping, making crush, and setting stones. And we all got muddy!”

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Thanks to Volunteers, Hikers Have Dry Boots Through a Wetland

Skilled construction creates a 424-foot boardwalk on the Holy Hill Segment!

28 volunteers donated 627 service hours during 4.5 days to constructs a 424-foot-long boardwalk on the Holy Hill Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
28 volunteers donated 627 service hours during 4.5 days to constructs a 424-foot-long boardwalk on the Holy Hill Segment. Photo by Patrick Gleissner.
An amended easement, negotiated between the Ice Age Trail Alliance and a private landowner, required an Ice Age Trail reroute along the Holy Hill Segment. The move took the Trail from the edge of an agricultural field onto a more scenic path, but one through a reed canary grass wetland. Luckily, Ice Age Trail Crew volunteers, skilled in boardwalk construction, capably rose to the challenge. During a 4.5-day project, 28 volunteers donated 627 hours to construct a 424-foot-long boardwalk.

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Oldest Segment Receives Maintenance Sweep Love

A small maintenance crew in Langlade County makes great progress across challenging terrain!

The Langlade County Maintenance Sweep saw 44 volunteers who donated 1,143 service hours, plus received assistance from 6 WisCorps members. Photo by Lisa Szela.
The Langlade County Maintenance Sweep saw 44 volunteers who donated 1,143 service hours, plus received assistance from 6 WisCorps members. Photo by Lisa Szela.
It was fitting that Langlade County’s oldest Ice Age National Scenic Trail segment—12-mile-long Parrish Hills—received the most attention during the 3.5-day Maintenance Sweep event. This remote, rugged segment winds through wetland areas inside an evergreen forest where it intersects and overlaps logging roads and ATV or snowmobile trails. The challenging terrain created plenty of work for 44 volunteers who collectively donated 1,143 service hours along with the labor provided by 6 WisCorps members.

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It’s not Complex: It’s the Glacial Passage Area

The Cross Plains Complex gets a new name in honor of the area’s glacial significance: Glacial Passage Area.

A group of seven people holding a sign that reads "Glacial Passage Area".
On June 1, National Trails Day®, the new name for what was previously known as the Cross Plains Complex, was unveiled: Glacial Passage Area. Photo by Billy Flynn.
Just outside of Cross Plains lies an area of such glacial significance that it has been identified as a Scientific Reserve Unit; one of nine such designated places in the state (and country).

This particular Scientific Reserve Unit sits on the border of glaciated and unglaciated terrain and contains glacial landforms, including a gorge carved by glacial meltwater. What’s especially interesting is that the Reserve Unit includes property owned by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Dane County, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The one thing that connects these properties (or will eventually connect them) is the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

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Future Crew Leaders Receive Hands-On Training

Crew Leader Training brings volunteers—who have previously demonstrated leadership skills—together to learn, work, and connect.

16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training. Photo by IATA Staff.
Demonstrating their deepening commitment to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 16 volunteers (plus 3 guests) collectively donated 529 hours to attend Crew Leader Skills Training from June 20-22, 2024 in Cross Plains, Wis. Their admittance into this three-day program underscored their prior enthusiasm for and participation in chapter-led or Ice Age Trail Crew events. The training supported their desire and ability to lead volunteer crews.

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Pollinators Supported With Successful Sip and Seed Events

35 pounds of lupine seed picked!

Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed. Photo by Amy Lord.
Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed. Photo by Amy Lord.
Pollinators got a boost thanks to the collective efforts of 51 volunteers who donated 191 service hours to pick 35 pounds of native lupine seed—a remarkable amount. When added to wildflower seed mixes, this seed will enhance up to 180 acres, providing an essential early-flowering, nectar plant for butterflies and bees. It also represents a significant dedication to habitat improvement efforts by the Ice Age Trail Alliance and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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Native Seed Collection Efforts Enhance Habitat

By Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist. 

A student with MG21 harvests lead plant seeds, removing the seed heads with a set of clippers. Photo by IATA Staff.
A student with MG21 harvests lead plant seeds, removing the seed heads with a set of clippers. Photo by IATA Staff.
Spring through fall, restored native prairies offer beautiful blooms. With its dainty bell-like flowers, columbine offers pops of red in spring. Graceful, yellow coneflowers sway among grasses in summer. And in the fall, the majestic blazing star, with its lavender-colored puffs, towers above other blooms.

Native plants like these, gracing your hikes along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, are not a stroke of luck, but point to the intentional efforts of Ice Age Trail Alliance staff and volunteers. Through its Habitat Improvement Program, the Alliance is actively increasing the presence of native plant species on Alliance-owned preserves. This diverse array of plants supports an entire food web, creating a robust and resilient ecosystem benefiting pollinator species like bumble bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds.

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High Spirits, Inquisitive Minds at IAT-U

A rewarding, hands-on learning experience for volunteers!

IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours. Photo by Alice Weinert.
IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours. Photo by Alice Weinert.
“Spirits were high and minds inquisitive,” said Riley Dupee, Field Operations Specialist, describing the vibe at the recent Ice Age Trail University (IAT-U) in Dane County. “Plus, the weather was mostly sunny. The sunsets from base camp were terrific and included a firework show in the distance on Saturday night.”

IAT-U successfully delivered 10 trainings to a total of 94 volunteers, who generously dedicated 1,486 hours to learning the skills and techniques necessary to contribute to the creation, maintenance, and promotion of a National Scenic Trail.

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Teamwork Successfully Kicks Off the Trailbuilding Season

Multiple structures got built and repaired on the Hemlock Creek Segment!

96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment at the first Trailbuilding event of 2024. Photo by Miranda Murphy.
96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment at the first Trailbuilding event of 2024. Photo by Miranda Murphy.
Like the warblers, sparrows, and scarlet tanagers arriving from their winter home, the Ice Age Trail Crew volunteers returned to the Trail. 96 volunteers donated 3,325 service hours in 4.5 days to building and repairing Trail on the Hemlock Creek Segment (Barron and Rusk Counties, Wis.).

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Expert Assistance Spruces Up Beloved Polk County Segments

A small maintenance crew in Polk County resulted in big accomplishments!

At the first 2024 Maintenance Sweep event, 30 volunteers donated 677 service hours to sprucing up Polk County Segments. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
At the first 2024 Maintenance Sweep event, 30 volunteers donated 677 service hours to sprucing up Polk County Segments. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
The first Maintenance Sweep event in 2024 crossed many items off the Indianhead Chapter’s to-do list, assisted by 30 volunteers who donated 677 service hours.

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2024 Trail Steward of the Year: Wendell Holl

Wendell Holl, 2024 Trail Steward of the Year. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Wendell Holl, 2024 Trail Steward of the Year. Photo by Dennis Linley.
No volunteer may be more skilled at stonework than this year’s recipient of the Trail Steward Award: Wendell Holl, who lives in Lodi and is a member of the Lodi Valley Chapter. The Ice Age Trail Alliance staff bestowed this honor during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting, in Baraboo, in April 2024.

Thanks to Wendell’s guidance, grand staircases, retaining walls, and stepping stones have been expertly constructed all along the Trail—and better yet, he has trained the next generation of stonework experts!

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2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers: Fred and Marilynn Nash

Fred and Marilynn Nash, 2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Fred and Marilynn Nash, 2024 Spirit Stick Caretakers. Photo by Dennis Linley.
Fred and Marilynn Nash, residents of Weyerhaeuser and members of the Blue Hills Chapter, are the Spirit Stick Caretakers for 2024. The Ice Age Trail Alliance staff bestowed this honor during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the Annual Conference and Membership Meeting, in Baraboo, in April 2024.

Over the years, Fred and Marilynn have left an indelible mark on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Their contributions are vast and varied, from growing the Chapter into a small but substantial group to becoming Yellow Blaze Club members to providing shuttle service to hikers. Their passion, which grew stronger and deeper by the year, led them to become the Coordinator and Secretary for the Blue Hills Chapter. With these duties, they took on maintenance, signage, and everything else in a small chapter.

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2023 Ice Age Trail and Ice Age Trail Alliance Volunteer Recognition

National Park Service Volunteer-in-Parks (VIP) Recognition. 

In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s VIP program. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s VIP program. Photo by Dave Caliebe.
In 2023, a total of 220 volunteers for the Ice Age Trail earned recognition for the National Park Service’s  VIP program.  VIP volunteers receive recognition when they attain certain volunteer hour milestones (as long as their volunteer form is current!) Hours accrue, year over year.

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More Ice Age Trail Coming to Waupaca and Manitowoc Counties!

Ice Age Trail Alliance protects two strategic properties for future Trail.

Photos by Kevin Thusius and Claire Finucane.
Photos by Kevin Thusius and Claire Finucane.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance permanently protected two strategically located properties in Waupaca and Manitowoc Counties for future Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The Alliance officially acquired both properties on March 21, using its own funding.

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The “Hottest” Land Restoration Tool: Prescribed Burns

By Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist for the Ice Age Trail Alliance
An Alliance staff member wears safety gear and watches a fire during a prescribed burn.
Steve Pence, Land Restoration Specialist, during a prescribed burn at the Table Bluff Segment of the Ice Age Trail. Photo by Jo Ellarson.

Prescribed Fire Season: March through Mid-May

Fire, a useful tool in land restoration efforts, promotes healthy ecosystems. Prescribed burns – intentionally lit fires under controlled conditions – help create healthy, native-species-filled plant and wildlife habitats, meeting land management goals.

As a certified land trust, the Ice Age Trail Alliance utilizes fire, which benefits plant and wildlife communities and improves the hiker experience along the Trail. As a result, from March through mid-May, sections of the Ice Age Trail will be closed for prescribed burns, often for only a few hours.

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A Successful Winter Habitat Improvement Program (HIP) Season

Dedicated volunteers improved many acres of crucial habitat!

Left: a person chainsaws a done tree while a fire burns in the background. Right: A tree with a painted yellow blaze stands in the forefront of a habitat improvement event.
Photo (1) by Riley Dupee and (2) by Maura Hanley.
Dedicated Ice Age Trail volunteers helped improve crucial plant and wildlife habitats across three Ice Age Trail Alliance-owned preserves: SwampLovers (Dane County), Hartland Marsh (Waukesha County), and Steenbock (Columbia County). A total of 158 volunteers donated 2,136 service hours.

Winter, offering both challenging AND perfect conditions for the Habitat Improvement events, didn’t deter hardy sawyers, swampers, and brush haulers. Invasive trees and shrubs were removed from more than seven acres, allowing for the expansion of native prairie and oak savanna.

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Take the Cornell to Lake Eleven Shortcut While You Can!

Recent property protection: great for the Trail, not so great for shortcut seekers.

A scenic shot of trees with fall colors overlook a lake in the distance.
Otter Lake Preserve contains a creek and high-relief hummocky glacial topography, including several small ice-walled lake plains along the Perkinstown Moraine. Photo by Jared Wildenradt.
For years, hikers have shaved miles off a 40-mile connecting route between the Cornell and Lake Eleven segments by following state highway 64. A recent property protection for the Trail, however, will soon upend this popular shortcut.

The Ice Age Trail Alliance closed on a 76.08-acre property along County Highway H in Chippewa County. Now known as Otter Lake Preserve, the property contains a creek and high-relief hummocky glacial topography, including several small ice-walled lake plains along the Perkinstown Moraine. Continue reading