Photo by Christopher White
The Tyke Hike:
Join us on a family-friendly hike to explore Wisconsin’s own Ice Age National Scenic Trail on a paved trek along the Bark River! We will explore a tyke-sized portion of Waukesha County’s Hartland Segment. Families with children of all ages are encouraged to attend!
Tyke Hikes give kids the opportunity to explore, discover and participate in natural play. Specifically, they can cover up to 1.5 miles over the course of 1-2 hours. They last approximately 1-2 hours and can cover up to 1.5 miles. Tyke Hikes are led by Peter Dargatz, a forest kindergarten teacher and Ice Age Trail volunteer.
Tyke Hike Details:
This hike’s picture book is A Fall Ball For All by Jamie Swenson. We will start our hike at the beginning of the Hartland Segment trailhead. After reading this book, we will hike for approximately 30 minutes at a child-led pace and then return. There will be occasional stops for play and exploration – stops at the playground are likely! Hikers should dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable footwear. Bring water.
Location:
The yellow Tyke Hike Signs will guide you to the meeting point at Hartland’s Centennial Park parking lot.
Contact Information:
Questions? Peter will answer them.
Get lost in the right direction with us!
The Hike:
Join us on a Tyke Hike to explore Wisconsin’s own Ice Age National Scenic Trail! We will explore a tyke-sized portion of the Waterville Segment in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Families with children of all ages should attend!
These hikes give kids the opportunity to explore, discover and participate in natural play. Most hikes include a picture book story and educational materials as well as certificates for children. In addition, service opportunities may be included. They last approximately 1-2 hours and can cover up to 1.5 miles. Tyke Hikes are led by Peter Dargatz, a forest kindergarten teacher and Ice Age Trail volunteer.
Hike Details:
We will hike for approximately 45 minutes and then return. There will be occasional stops for play and exploration along the way. Hikers should dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfortable shoes/hiking boots. Most importantly, bring water.
Location Details:
This hike will start out at the UW-Waukesha Fieldstation, W349 S1480 Waterville Rd, Oconomowoc, WI 53066.
Contact Information:
Questions? Peter will answer them for you.
“Get lost in the right direction” with us!
Name Change!
Our catchy name for the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s mobile app, Mammoth Tracks, has gone the way of the woolly mammoth! Guthook Guides, the company who created our app decided to switch things up. So, when the glacier melts, well, you go with the flow.
What was formerly Mammoth Tracks is now available as an in-app purchase in the new and improved version of Atlas Guides‘ offerings of Guthook Guides hiking apps. You can find the Ice Age Trail featured near the middle of the page.
Special Spring Pricing!
The deal starts Thursday, April 11th and runs through Sunday, April 14th. Continue reading →
Update for Android users of the Mammoth Tracks – Ice Age Trail app:
Mammoth Tracks is now available as an in-app purchase for Android in the new and improved version of Atlas Guides’ hiking app called “Guthook Guides: Hike & Bike Offline”.
Here are some common questions and answers about the new app.
Q: I have the Mammoth Tracks – Ice Age Trail app on my Android phone. Can I still use it?
A: Yes, you can still use it, and it will have the same data as the newer app. However, this app will not be updated (other than the data) or supported in the future.
Q: I have the Mammoth Tracks – Ice Age Trail app on my Android phone. Can I transfer my purchase to the new Guthook Guides app? Continue reading →
A glimpse of boardwalk along the Jerry Lake Segment of the Chippewa Moraine in Taylor County.
Photo credit: D. Caliebe
We Need Photographs of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail!
We are on the lookout for photos we can use in our publications. Right now, we have a 2020 edition of Ice Age Trail Guidebook in the works.
What makes the Guidebook so valuable, besides detailed segment-by-segment descriptions and maps, is the high quality, expressive photographs it contains. Most of the pictures were taken, not by professional photographers, but by trail enthusiasts who snapped the shot while out hiking! Each photo wonderfully captures the beauty of the trail experience. Continue reading →
Snow covered boardwalk along the Plover River Segment, Marathon County. Photo by Rachel Roberts.
First the Good News:
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail remains open for hiking, snowshoeing, running, and backpacking. Please continue to enjoy the Ice Age Trail and the activities which get you outside and bring you joy.
Now, for the Not-So Good News:
Even though the Ice Age Trail itself is not closed during the government shutdown, ALL VOLUNTEER-BASED activities are suspended. Continue reading →
Tony Schuster (and his wife Nancy) enjoys a fantastic day hiking on the Ice Age Trail as Field Editor for the Harwood Lakes Segment in Chippewa County. Tony and Nancy carefully walked the segment to make sure the reality of the Trail was reflected across all three hiker resources. Photo by Nancy Schuster.
Work has begun to update the Ice Age Trail Guidebook, the Atlas, and the Databook. The goal is updated, published versions by February 2020.
We’re looking for dedicated and enthusiastic hikers and lovers of the outdoors to volunteer as Field Editors. That means YOU!
Field Editors will be asked to:
- Hike a selected segment or connecting route of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail,
- Review and verify existing book info,
- Submit a Field Edit Report providing any updated, corrected, or new information.
Continue reading →
The happy, thousand-watt smiles of brand new Thousand-Milers fill the Alliance headquarters. Photo by Jo Ellarson.
Lynn Williamson and Patrice Nicolet recently completed their thousand-mile journey on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Laughing, they remarked, “We’re still friends, too!” Williamson and Nicolet became Thousand-Milers by section hiking the Ice Age Trail. The Thousand-Miler Map and Checklist helped them plan and document their progress as they hiked the Trail in bits and pieces over a period of years.
You too can get started on your very own adventure, solo, or with a friend, or an entire passel of people. Winter is a great time to cozy up to a warm fire and to plan your hike. Will you hike it a segment (or two) or connecting route (or more) at a time? Will you choose to hike the entire Trail in one continuous, multi-day effort? The decision is yours. Continue reading →
The Plover River Segment of the Ice Age Trail. (Photo by Cameron Gillie)
National Trails Day is Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 and there is plenty to celebrate along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Hikes That Go the Distance:
Explore new territory.
Waushara County, All Waushara County Segments: “Walk the Waush” Challenge
Beginning June 1 through August 19th, challenge yourself, family, friends, and co-workers to lace up their walking shoes and walk as many miles as you can in 80 days and explore Waushara County’s beautiful parks and trails. (Bonus: become eligible for awards and prizes!) (Waushara County Chapter) Continue reading →
Bring your tribe hiking on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Photos by: Luke Kloberdanz, James Mills, Cameron Gillie
As the snow melts, trees bud out, and wildflowers begin adding a glimmer of color to the Trail, chapter-led hikes begin populating the Ice Age Trail Alliance calendar in earnest.
Continue reading →
Icy trail conditions like these along the popular Straight Lake Segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail call for winter traction devices! Photo by Dave Caliebe.
Don’t put summer fun in jeopardy by taking an otherwise preventable fall on an icy trail.
Many favorite, well-loved, and well-used segments of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail become extremely icy during the late winter and early spring.
Snowy trails, packed down by many feet, turn to ice and become even more dangerous as balmy daytime temperatures lead to thawing and evening temperatures dip back into freezing range.
To be prepared for potentially hazardous hiking, the use of ice cleats and hiking poles (with rubber tip removed) is strongly recommended for safe spring hiking (which in some areas extends well into “Muddy March” and even mid-April). Continue reading →
A weekend backpacker pauses to catch his breath and take in the views along the IAT. Photo by Cameron Gillie.
Deepen your backpacking know-how with plenty of advice from backpacking experts. If you’re carefully considering a thru-hike on the Ice Age Trail as your next big adventure, or if you’re dreaming and scheming about how to section-hike the Trail in weekend jaunts, then these sessions are for you!
Join us on Saturday, April 14th at the Blue Harbor Resort in beautiful Sheboygan!
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Trip Planning, Logistics, and Navigation.
Do you wonder how, exactly, to start planning your thousand-mile journey? If you feel a little confused, you’re not alone. The good news is there is a wealth of resources and IATA staff is eager to demystify them. You’ll learn the ins and outs of the interactive map including Trail conditions, as well as, the helpful details embedded in the Mammoth Tracks app. You’ll get the inside scoop about how to connect with chapter leaders; how to use the Thousand-Miler spreadsheet; the nitty-gritty of resupply, shuttles, and trail angels; and how to use social media to network with other hikers. Continue reading →
Clicking on a feature in the map will bring up more information, such as the name and length of an IAT segment.
The NEW interactive Hiker Resource Map shows all official Ice Age National Scenic Trail segments and (unsigned) connecting routes, and additional features such as camping, parking, water, ColdCache sites, and Ice Age Trail Communities. The map works on computers and mobile devices.
We like how intuitive it is. Hover over an icon to gain more information. Click on the options offered on the toolbar (see above example) to expand the information available. Continue reading →
As of October 5, 2017, the Mammoth Tracks App for iOS (iPhone and iPad) has been brought into the Guthook Guides App. This only affects the iOS App. Mammoth Tracks for Android is NOT affected. Continue reading →
Jane and David Le Count stopped by the Ice Age Trail Alliance headquarters to turn in their Thousand-Miler application and celebrate the completion of their amazing adventure. Photo by Lysianne Unruh.
It’s a dark 3:30 a.m., and we are heading down the road toward a designated Ice Age Trail (IAT) segment, one of 37 such trips. For four-plus hours, filling our senses with staticky radio noise, speeding traffic, and rushing sights and sounds. Later, ten minutes into the woods, we encounter another world entirely, one of blissful natural marvels, soft hums and twitters, and being on nature’s relaxed timeline. Continue reading →
Trail Happenings!
Photo by Dave Caliebe
GET OUT: Hikes
Boost your happiness; immerse yourself in a healthy dose of nature (vitamin Green!).
Dane County Chapter, Cross Plains Segment: Birding Hike
Early spring mornings are the time to see and hear migrating and newly-arrived birds of the woodlands, savanna and prairie habitats along the loop in the highlands above Cross Plains. Bring binoculars; hike leader will help identify avian friends! Continue reading →
Photo credit: Fred Paasch
Welcome 2017 with a dose of fresh air. Say good-bye to the holiday cookies and chocolates. Burn a few calories with a fun, relaxed-paced, yet blood-pumping hike on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Best of all, a walk in the woods, all serene and blanketed with snow, is a perfect way to connect with yourself. Nature, like you, is a white canvas, ready for a fresh set of possibilities. Take a few moments and consider your path forward into this brand new year. Continue reading →
Photo credit: Dave Caliebe – Wood Lake graced by a Bald Eagle and two Trumpeter swans.
Taylor County, sculpted by the powerful forces of glacial ice, is known for its undulating, hummocky terrain and smooth-as-glass kettle lakes reflecting sky and clouds, is already beautiful, and last week, it just got more attractive.
A 104 volunteers with a shared vision of making the Ice Age Trail the best it can be, accomplished a phenomenal amount of Trail improvements on three of the seven Trail segments in Taylor County over the course of 7 days and 3,100 hours of effort. Continue reading →
Photo credit: B. Bednarek, Parnell Segment, view from Parnell Tower
Did you know, world famous glacial landscape features are within an easy drive from your front door?
This might not seem like such a big deal until you consider that walking across the high ridge of an esker, or peering down into a kettle lake is a bit like time travel, giving you a peek into how the landscape of Wisconsin was formed.
Conveniently, the almost 30,000 acres of the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest contains some of the most stellar glacial remnants of the last Ice Age. In fact, this region was formed as two tongue-shaped ice sheets collided, creating a valley of ice some 10,000 years ago. As these huge sheets of ice melted, the meltwater cascaded into crevasses carrying sand, gravel, and boulders, depositing them along the way. This is what shaped the rolling ridges and deep kettles – large crater-like depressions – that make up the topography of this beautiful forest. Continue reading →
A glimpse of boardwalk along the Jerry Lake Segment of the Chippewa Moraine in Taylor County.
Photo credit: D. Caliebe
Have you ever, while hiking along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, found yourself standing in awe, exhaling a huge sigh, your heart filled, and knowing there were simply no words for the beauty you were witness to?
Perhaps, in the next moment, you whipped out your phone, or dug around in your day pack for a camera, sincerely hoping the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words” was true and you could adequately capture the way the sun slants golden across the field; the way the trillium spreads across the forest floor, a delicate white carpet fit for a fairy queen. Perhaps you sought to hold on to the expression of sheer happiness on your hiking partner’s face and his or her wind-tousled hair.
Maybe, you too, have felt the truth of Ansel Adams’ statement, “When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
For you, your love affair with life is reflected in the photographs you take while immersed in nature. If you are the one with camera in hand on a hike, then we would love to partner with you. Continue reading →
Do you lack a reliable sense of direction?
It can be a seriously annoying trait when you’re driving, trying to get somewhere on time. It can induce a panicky feeling when you are out in the woods and there’s only a few hours of daylight left to locate a camp site and pitch your tent.
If you can relate to the cartoon above, then hopefully, you and Siri, are good friends by now and she’s helped you navigate, turn-by-turn, to your various destinations.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance has you covered while you are out and about on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail with our new app, Mammoth Tracks. Continue reading →
