Ice Age National Scenic Trail

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is one of only eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States, a 1,200-mile footpath that arcs across Wisconsin from the shores of Lake Superior in the north to the Mississippi River bluffs in the southwest, tracing the terminal moraine left by the Laurentide Ice Sheet at the peak of the last great glaciation some 10,000–15,000 years ago. No other trail in America follows the edge of an ancient glacier so faithfully or so dramatically.

The trail threads through some of the finest glacial scenery in the world — kettles and kettle lakes, drumlins, eskers, kames, outwash plains, moraines and erratics — linking nine Ice Age National Scientific Reserve units (recognized by the National Park Service as exceptional examples of glacial landforms), state and county forests, private land, prairies and wetlands. Whether hiked in a single end-to-end journey or sampled in day-hike segments, the Ice Age Trail is a living geology lesson through the heart of Wisconsin, tracing the very edge of the last ice age across one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states in the Midwest.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail offers 1,200 miles of hiking from the Lake Superior shore in Polk County to the Mississippi River at Potosi in Grant County, traversable end-to-end over several weeks or sampled in countless day-hike or multi-day backpacking segments. The trail passes through exceptional glacial scenery, state and county parks, prairies, wetlands and forests. Key highlights include the Kettle Moraine segments, the Chequamegon area, Devil’s Lake State Park, and the Driftless Area bluffs near the Mississippi. Nordic skiing is possible on some segments in winter. The Ice Age Trail Alliance maintains the trail and provides maps, segment guides and volunteer opportunities for those wishing to help maintain this national treasure.

Spring and fall are the finest seasons on the Ice Age Trail — cool temperatures, low humidity, exceptional wildflowers in spring (especially in the kettles and prairies), and brilliant color in fall as the trail traverses forests and wetlands. Summer is warm and green, with good backpacking conditions but heavier vegetation on some segments and more insects in the north. The trail is walkable year-round; snow can add beauty in winter, though conditions vary widely across the trail’s length. Spring wildflowers in the southern segments and fall color throughout make May and October outstanding times to experience this glacial landmark.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail grew from a vision of Milwaukee businessman Ray Zillmer, who in the 1950s proposed a hiking trail following the glacial moraine across Wisconsin to celebrate the state’s extraordinary Ice Age landscape. Zillmer founded the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation (now the Ice Age Trail Alliance) in 1958, and in 1980 Congress designated the route as a National Scenic Trail. The trail incorporates the nine units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, established by Congress in 1964 to protect outstanding examples of glacial landforms recognized by the National Park Service, including Devil’s Lake State Park, Kettle Moraine, and other exceptional glacial landmarks across Wisconsin.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail follows the terminal moraine of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, the massive glacier that at its maximum covered the northern two-thirds of North America and reached its southern edge across Wisconsin some 10,000–15,000 years ago. The trail traverses every major glacial landform: the ice-block kettles and kettle lakes left by buried glacial ice; the elongated drumlins shaped by glacial flow; the sinuous eskers formed by subglacial streams; the kames built by meltwater; the moraines marking the glacier’s edge; and the erratics — boulders transported hundreds of miles by the ice. The southwestern portion of the trail passes through the unglaciated Driftless Area, where the ancient, deep valleys and ridges contrast sharply with the smoothed glacial terrain.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail traverses some of Wisconsin’s richest wildlife habitats — northern forests with black bear, wolf, and moose; kettle lakes and wetlands hosting great blue herons, sandhill cranes, wood ducks and migratory waterfowl; prairies supporting meadowlarks, bobolinks and raptors; and mixed forests sheltering white-tailed deer, turkeys, and a diversity of migratory songbirds. The trail’s length and the variety of habitats it crosses — from Lake Superior boreal forests to Driftless Area oak savannas — make it one of the finest long-distance wildlife corridors in the Midwest, a living transect of Wisconsin’s natural community.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail links a mosaic of habitats that reflects Wisconsin’s position as a meeting ground of northern boreal, eastern deciduous and midwestern prairie ecosystems. Kettle lakes support aquatic and wetland species, prairies on the moraines shelter rare grassland birds and plants, and the northern forest segments pass through significant boreal and mixed-forest ecosystems. The trail’s nine Ice Age National Scientific Reserve units protect outstanding examples of glacial ecology. Conserving the diverse habitats along the trail — through land protection by the Ice Age Trail Alliance and partner organizations — sustains the ecological and scientific value of this cross-Wisconsin natural corridor.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail holds a unique cultural place in Wisconsin as the state’s most ambitious conservation achievement and its only National Scenic Trail — a 1,200-mile walk through the geology and natural heritage that makes Wisconsin distinctive. Born from Ray Zillmer’s 1950s vision and built largely by volunteers, it is celebrated as a testament to Wisconsin’s conservation tradition and its deep public attachment to the glacial landscape. The trail has drawn hikers, naturalists and scientists for decades and continues to grow as a destination for those who wish to walk the very edge of the last ice age across the heart of the Midwest.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles of Wisconsin, with trailheads and access points throughout the state. The Ice Age Trail Alliance maintains a detailed online trail atlas at iceagetrail.org with segment maps, trailhead locations, parking, camping and conditions for each of the trail’s many segments. Highlighted segments include the Kettle Moraine State Forest sections in the south, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest sections in the north, and the segments through Devil’s Lake State Park. Most segments are day-hikeable from local trailheads. Backpacking the full trail or multi-day segments requires advance planning for camping sites and resupply. Check the Ice Age Trail Alliance for current trail conditions, closures and segment guides.

The Ice Age Trail Alliance, in partnership with the National Park Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and hundreds of volunteers, maintains and extends the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, working to protect the glacial landforms, natural habitats and scenic corridor along its length. Visitors help by staying on the designated trail, respecting private land easements, packing out all trash and waste, following Leave No Trace principles, reporting trail damage, volunteering with trail maintenance, and supporting the Ice Age Trail Alliance. Protecting the trail corridor and the glacial landscapes along its length sustains one of Wisconsin’s greatest natural and conservation treasures.

Trail conditions on the Ice Age Trail vary widely by segment and season — some sections cross rugged glacial terrain with steep moraines, wet kettles and remote forest. Carry adequate water (water sources are not reliable in all segments), dress for weather that can change rapidly in Wisconsin, and wear sturdy hiking boots for uneven, sometimes muddy glacial terrain. In remote northern segments, carry a map and navigation tools, as cell coverage may be absent. Ticks are common in spring and summer; check carefully after any hike and wear long pants. In black bear and wolf country in the north, practice food storage safety while camping.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail crosses a mix of public land (state and county parks and forests, National Forest, and NPS units) and private land under easement; respect all land-specific rules, posted signs, and private land boundaries. Camping is allowed only in designated sites on public land — never camp on private land portions. Dogs must be leashed in most public-land segments; check segment rules. Fires are permitted only in designated fire rings. Pack out all waste. State park and forest vehicle admission stickers may be required to park at some trailheads. Check the Ice Age Trail Alliance and the relevant land management agency for current rules before visiting.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail passes through or near Devil’s Lake State Park, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Horicon Marsh, the Dells of the Eau Claire, and dozens of other exceptional Wisconsin natural areas. The trail’s breadth makes it accessible from virtually any part of Wisconsin. Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Wausau all have Ice Age Trail segments within an easy drive. The nine Ice Age National Scientific Reserve units — each a premier example of glacial landforms — are spread along the trail, offering accessible highlights for those who wish to sample the trail without a long-distance commitment.

Sample the Ice Age Trail at one of its finest segments rather than attempting the full trail in a single visit — the Kettle Moraine segments in the south offer superb kettles, kames and eskers in a manageable day hike; the Chequamegon segments in the north deliver boreal-forest solitude; and the Devil’s Lake segment passes through the ancient quartzite bluffs, one of the trail’s most dramatic stretches. Download the Ice Age Trail Alliance segment maps before you go, carry more water than you think you need, check conditions in spring after snowmelt, and visit in fall for the finest combination of color, cool air and glacial scenery.