Thinking about taking on the whole Ice Age Trail? Take a look at the information below to help you get started. If you have questions not answered on this page, get in touch with us at (800) 227-0046 or info@iceagetrail.org.
What are the main things I should consider first?
The following two items are perhaps the key places to start:
- The Ice Age Trail is currently about half-complete. Covering the entire Trail means walking along many miles of quiet, country roads.
- Primitive camping is not permitted on many Ice Age Trail segments. Sleeping arrangements from night to night will vary widely.
I haven’t hiked the Trail much. How can I get a general idea of what hiking the Ice Age Trail is all about?
Check out the pages on our website designed for hikers of all distances:
What resources do you offer for detailed hike-planning and navigation?
Research and planning are key aspects of successful long-distance hiking. The Ice Age Trail Atlas, Ice Age Trail Databook, and Ice Age Trail Guidebook contain indispensable information for hike planning. Once on the Trail, the FarOut app for mobile devices can be a critical aid for keeping you moving in the right direction.
Aside from Ice Age Trail Alliance guidebooks, what other resources are available?
In addition to the official record of the Ice Age Trail recorded in guidebooks and mobile app, members of our long-distance hiking community have developed and maintain many helpful unofficial resources for fellow hikers:
- A Facebook community for long-distance hikers
- Mileage-tracking spreadsheets (some posted in the “Online Extras” section of our Trail Map and Guidebooks page) designed specifically for long-distance hikers
- Insider tips on town services, resupply info and camping options
- A poster-sized Thousand-Miler Map & Checklist you can use to track your progress
If you are interested in getting plugged in to these resources and the Ice Age Trail long-distance hiker community, send us an email at info@iceagetrail.org or give us a call at (800) 227-0046. We can put you in touch with one of our avid long-distance hikers.
Are there commercial services to help with shuttling and other areas of hiker support?
Not at this time. However, many of the volunteers who lead our local chapters enjoy working to help long-distance hikers…especially when the hiker gives plenty of advanced notice and expresses gratitude for the help!