Ice Age Trail Alliance protects two strategic properties for future Trail.
More Ice Age Trail Coming to Waupaca and Manitowoc Counties!
Tag Archives: Land Protection
Take the Cornell to Lake Eleven Shortcut While You Can!
Recent property protection: great for the Trail, not so great for shortcut seekers.
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
2023 Dane County Chapter Hike-A-Thon
Join the Dane County Chapter on Saturday, October 14, 2023 for the annual Dane County Hike-A-Thon!
Choose between 2 hike options:
- A 16-mile hike going south to north on the Montrose Segment and part of the Verona Segment
- A 5-mile hike going south to north on part of the Verona Segment
See below for hike details!
Either way, you’ll get a shuttle, refreshments, some swag, and you’ll get closer to completing the Mammoth Hike Challenge!
We ask that each Hike-a-Thon participant make a personal gift of $50 per individual or 1st member of a household, $25 for 2nd adult in the household. Children under 18 accompanied by an adult are $10.
All proceeds from the Hike-A-Thon will go towards the Dane County Land Protection Fund, which allows quick action when a land protection opportunity arises, providing funds to pay for critical, time-sensitive costs related to land acquisition, such as appraisals, land surveys, and other fees.
The Details:
All participants will receive a shuttle from their car to the start of the hike, and refreshments during and after the hike.
15-Mile Hikers: Meet at Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 at 7:30 am for check in.
- The bus will leave promptly at 8:00 am and shuttle hikers to County D along the Montrose Segment for the start of the hike.
- Hikers will then walk the Montrose Segment, a short connector route and part of the Verona Segment ending at Badger Prairie County Park Shelter #1.
5-Mile Hikers: Meet at the Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 at 11:30 am for check in.
- The bus will leave promptly at 11:45 am and shuttle hikers to the parking lot at Prairie Moraine County Park.
- Hikers will then walk portions of the Verona Segment ending at Badger Prairie County Park Shelter #1.
There will be two aid stations along the with water refills and lots of snacks: Bosco and Prairie Moraine parking lot.
Location/Parking Details:
LOCATION: Badger Prairie County Park, Link to Google map
PARKING: Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1, Link to location on Hiker Resource map
Post-Hike Celebration:
After your hike, join Dane County Chapter volunteers at the Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 for grab and go sandwiches provided by Millers & Sons Grocery, soda, beer, hot apple cider and other drinks, and snacks to refuel after a long hike.
Make plans to enjoy local businesses in the our Trail Community of Verona.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your gift as part of this event is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Thank you sponsors for supporting the Dane County Hike-A-Thon:
- Miller and Sons Grocery
- Verona Chamber of Commerce
A Genuine Team Effort Expands the Trail!
Wins Delivered for Many Participants.
Article author: Tricia Baker, guest writer and member of the Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter
2022 Dane County Chapter Hike-A-Thon
Join the Dane County Chapter on Saturday, October 15, 2022 for the annual Dane County Hike-A-Thon!
Choose between 2 hike options:
- A 20-mile hike from the Cross Plains Segment to the Verona Segment
- A 4.5-mile hike on the Madison and Verona Segments
See below for hike details!
Either way, you’ll get a shuttle, refreshments, some swag, and you’ll get closer to completing the Mammoth Hike Challenge!
We ask that each Hike-a-Thon participant make a personal gift of $50 or more per hiker. Children 12 and under are free!
You can also support a hiker! The 3 hikers who receive the most support will receive either a Granite Gear backpack or a World Famous Tent donated by Fontana Sports. Use the registration link to support!
All proceeds from the Hike-A-Thon will go towards the Dane County Land Protection Fund, which allows quick action when a land protection opportunity arises, providing funds to pay for critical, time-sensitive costs related to land acquisition, such as appraisals, land surveys, and other fees.
Cross Plains Segment Anderson Preserve. Photo by Mona Jean Harley
The Details:
All participants will receive a $10 gift card to Fontana Sports, a shuttle from their car to the start of the hike, and refreshments during and after the hike.
20-Mile Hikers: Meet at Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 at 7:45 am for check in.
- The bus will leave promptly at 8:00 am and shuttle hikers to the west end of the Cross Plains Segment at Hickory Hill.
- Hikers will then walk the Cross Plains, Valley View, Madison Segments, a part of the Verona Segment and all associated connector routes.
4.5-Mile Hikers: Meet at the Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 at 12:45 pm for check in.
- The bus will leave promptly at 1:00 pm and shuttle hikers to the parking lot at University Ridge Golf Course.
- Hikers will then walk portions of the Madison and Verona segments.
Location/Parking Details:
LOCATION: Badger Prairie County Park, Link to Google map
PARKING: Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1, Link to location on Hiker Resource map
Post-Hike Celebration:
After your hike, join Dane County Chapter volunteers at the Badger Prairie Park Shelter #1 for refreshments, door prizes, and exchanging of hiking stories.
Make plans to enjoy local businesses in the our Trail Community of Verona.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your gift as part of this event is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Thank you sponsors for supporting the Dane County Hike-A-Thon:
Your Incredible Support Leads to Match Increase
Your commitment impressed the trustees of Prairie Springs: The Paul Fleckenstein Trust so much they decided to increase their match from $120,ooo to $200,000! Thanks to your generosity and that of Prairie Springs: The Paul Fleckenstein Trust, the Alliance will be able to protect and preserve additional land across the state.
Protect Langlade’s Glacial Landscape!
It’s an area where moraines once collided, resulting in amazing glaciation and hummocky terrain. It would be a hiker’s dream to traverse. But right now, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail currently runs along roads. With your help, this will change.
IATA Preserves Benefit from Knowles-Nelson Funding
Another commonality among these properties? The Alliance purchased them using matching grant funds awarded from Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.
Bob & Victoria Connors Push to ‘Close the Gaps’ of the Ice Age Trail
By Sevie Kenyon, volunteer writer for the Ice Age Trail Alliance
The Connors Family has a strong commitment to “close the gaps” in the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The purpose of the Robert & Victoria Land Resource Fund is to facilitate land acquisition by the Alliance to host and permanently protect the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The fund offers the resources needed to act quickly when land protection opportunities arise.
Passage of ‘Great American Outdoors Act’ Bolsters the Alliance
On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the United States Senate voted 73-25 to pass the Great American Outdoors Act to permanently and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and make a substantial investment in addressing the deferred maintenance backlog on our public lands.
The passage of this bill will help address priority repairs in our national parks and on other public lands by directing up to $9.5 billion over five years to address maintenance needs within the National Park System and other public land agencies. It will also fully and permanently dedicate $900 million per year already being deposited into the LWCF, our nation’s most important conservation program for land, water, and recreation areas for all Americans.
Spring’s Woodland Beauties
As you turn your face to the sun and head out on a hike, be on the look out for these woodland beauties:
President Signs Bill Permanently Reauthorizing LWCF
In an historic victory for public lands and close-to-home recreation, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was permanently reauthorized yesterday, March 12, 2019, as part of a sweeping public lands package signed into law by President Donald J. Trump.
The legislation, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House (363-62) and the Senate (92-8) last month, was signed yesterday during a ceremony that included LWCF champions. The culmination of a year’s-long effort by Congressional champions on both sides of the aisle and by stakeholders across the country to preserve the unique character of this program. Continue reading