Located throughout the state of Wisconsin, hikers and nature lovers can discover this epic trail that was once inhabited by some of the Earth’s most majestic animals.
Though the trail already encompasses thousands of miles, it’s still a work in progress thanks to a partnership between the NPS, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Ice Age Trail Alliance, which all work to preserve and expand its presence. At the time of publication, roughly half the Ice Age Trail is complete. (The trail was recognized as a park under the NPS in December 2023.)
“The Ice Age Trail is more than a path through the woods,” the Ice Age Trail Alliance shares on its website. “It is a place for mental and physical rejuvenation, a place to unwind after a hard day and enjoy the landscape of Wisconsin. More than one million people use the Ice Age Trail each year to hike and snowshoe, to backpack, to disconnect and reconnect.”
Along the way, hikers can spot geologic features including kames (sediment mounds), lakes, drumlins, ice-walled-lake plains, tunnel channels, and more.
On the trail, hikers will walk through millions of years of the earth’s history, including seeing the rock outcrops at Grandfather Falls, Lincoln County, and Eau Claire Dells (mylonite), Marathon County, which the Alliance says date back some 1.8 billion years.
Check out more on the hike’s NPS website here, or plan a visit via the Ice Age Trail Alliance now. Once you’re done with your hike, consider donating to the alliance to ensure the trail stays just as magnificent for billions of years to come.
