Ice Age National Scenic Trail

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a footpath across Wisconsin. The National Park Service calls it a 1,200-mile trail. It runs from Interstate State Park in St. Croix Falls on the western border to Potawatomi State Park near Sturgeon Bay on Lake Michigan. The 1,200 miles is the full planned route, not finished trail. The Ice Age Trail Alliance counts nearly 700 miles of yellow-blazed trail and calls the trail about half complete. The other 500 or so miles are unmarked connecting routes, typically rural roads and highways, that link the blazed segments, so covering the whole trail means many miles of quiet country roads. Check the Alliance for current figures before you plan. To be recognized as a Thousand-Miler you walk the connecting routes too. The Alliance says direction, speed and time taken do not matter for that recognition. The Alliance calls the days of autumn perfect for hiking, but fall is also hunting season, so check closures. The NPS says no National Park Pass is needed and using the trail is free. It also says camping registration, permits and fees might be required, so check with each land manager along the way. Some county forests where primitive camping is allowed require a permit. The Alliance's dispersed camping areas need no permit or reservation. Backpack shelters in the Kettle Moraine State Forest must be reserved in advance through the Wisconsin State Park System. The trail crosses private land, city parks, state parks, county forests and national forest. Many private-land segments sit on a handshake agreement that the landowner can cancel at any time, so stay on the yellow blazes. Most blazed segments are ordinary off-road hiking, but some run down main streets, and the connecting routes are typically rural roads and highways. Most segments are unpaved and uneven. Horses are not allowed, and bikes only where the trail shares a state bike trail. Dogs are generally allowed but must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet and under control, and some segments ban dogs entirely; the Alliance guidebook lists the rule for each segment. The hazards the NPS and the Alliance name are hunting-season closures, ticks and mosquitoes, high water and logging, and limited cell service in remote stretches. Private landowners may close their section during hunting season, most often during the nine-day gun deer season. Hiking a closed section counts as trespassing. "Private Land" signs mark where the trail enters private land, and closed segments are often signed with their dates. Almost all segments on public land stay open during hunting season. The Alliance publishes a Hunting Closures Map and a list of closed segments, and it suggests hikers wear blaze orange or other bright colors in hunting season; a dog should wear a blaze orange vest and stay leashed. It recommends long pants, tucked into your socks, against ticks. The NPS says to avoid camping within a half-mile of road crossings and not to leave food or garbage unattended. Camping takes planning. The Alliance says camping is generally allowed only in designated areas, and primitive camping is not allowed on many segments, so where you sleep will change from night to night. Primitive camping areas are only in the northern part of the trail, and there is none south of Langlade County. Where it is allowed, camp 200 feet from water and 200 feet from the trail. Dispersed camping areas are for long-distance hikers only, one night at a time, within sight of the area's sign, with no fires except backpacking stoves. The Kettle Moraine backpack shelters are Adirondack-style with a fire ring, hold up to 10 people and allow one night per site, and you carry in your own gear. The Wisconsin DNR tells backpack-shelter campers to pack in their own drinking water. It also says water is available a short distance from each Northern Unit shelter. Confirm with the DNR before you rely on it. The Alliance Atlas marks drinking water sources, restrooms and camping on its maps and shades the areas open to primitive camping. Its guidebook and atlas show where each type of camping is. For resupply, the Alliance publishes a list of post offices for hikers who use mail drops. Its Guidebook describes the entire trail, including lodging and dining. The Alliance also says its long-distance hiker community shares insider tips on town services, resupply and camping options, and you reach them through the Alliance. Getting to and from the ends is up to you. The Alliance says there are no commercial shuttle services. Its volunteer chapters give free shuttles to hikers in their region, so call or email the chapter coordinator well ahead of time; coordinators are volunteers, so allow a day or two for a reply. Chapter pages list the contacts. Before you go, check the Alliance's Trail Alerts and its Hiker Resource Map, and download its spreadsheet of trail changes since the books were printed. The NPS conditions page takes its alerts from the Alliance. During hunting season, check the hunting closures list too. The Alliance also suggests calling the local chapter coordinator for current conditions in the area you will hike.