When the pandemic shut down our plans to hike in faraway places, we found a world-class trail right on our doorstep. Enter: the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
We’re amateur hikers but boy oh boy do we love this trail and its endless scenic and geological surprises. Not to mention the trail is very well signposted with yellow blazes and maintained by volunteers (thank you!)
We began hiking the IAT in July 2020 and are now dedicated to hiking the entire 1,200-mile footpath across Wisconsin. Here’s a look at how it’s been going since January 2023.
Manitowoc Segment
May 25, 2025
Total miles hiked: 7.5
Total segments completed: 1 – Manitowoc Segment
On our second day of hiking we tackled the 7.5-mile-long, mostly urban, Manitowoc Segment. We started the hike with Justin connecting with a friendly Trail Angel at the northern end of the segment. They then drove down and met Gemma and I in a parking lot near Broadway Street, near to the southern/southwestern point of the trail. Thanks to the Trail Angel, we were able to complete this full segment in one day/a single hike. For those who may not know, “Trail Angles” are incredible volunteers who provide aid including rides to hikers on the Ice Age Trail. We connected with our Trail Angel via the local IAT chapter.
The start of our hike led us through an incredible riverside park called Schuette Park. Fairly early on into the hike we came across an impressive bird’s eye view of the trail surrounded by lush green vegetation and the calm, snaking Manitowoc River – this was a segment highlight for us and a great way to kick things off.
As the trail continued past the Manitowoc River’s edge, we came out into Union Park and wandered through the city streets of Manitowoc for a bit. We ended the hike with a nice stretch of paved trail along Lake Michigan. Some landmarks we passed along the way included the Maritime Museum, Lighthouse Park, the Lake Michigan Car Ferry, and the West Lake Gardens.
By the end of the hike, our feet were aching and our pace had noticeably slowed down. The wind picked up along the lake and things chilled off quite a bit. We had to place this fleece picnic blanket we travel with over the stroller to ensure Gemma stayed warm as the hike concluded.
Please note: we consider the Manitowoc Segment to be largely accessible; however, we could see the portion of the segment that winds through Schuette Park to Union Park being challenging for some strollers or wheelchairs. This is due to some steep inclines, the footpath being packed dirt here which can get muddy quickly after a rainfall and park of the trail leading you along railroad tracks for a brief stretch.
Dunes Segment
May 24, 2025
Total miles hiked: 2.7
Total segments completed: 1 – Dunes Segment
Since we haven’t been out on the Ice Age Trail (IAT) this year, we decided to dedicate a full weekend to hiking new-to-us segments as a family. We opted to hike around Manitowoc and Two Rivers which are both Ice Age Trail Communities. We decided to ease into things slowly with a leisurely, out and back hike on the Dunes Segment.
This 2.7-mile segment led us through the Woodland Dunes Nature Preserve and is a fun location for birding. Justin carried Gemma in our Osprey Hiking backpack and towards the end of the segment, she fell asleep. Most of this moderate trail was covered so we recommend you come prepared in layers for this one. The Dunes Segment connects directly with the Manitowoc Segment to the south and the Two Rivers Segment to the north.
Since we traveled north to hike for a full weekend we booked a one-night stay at the Harbor Town Inn. You can check out some of the photos we took of the property and our review of it on Yelp, here. It was an excellent, budget-friendly option and worked well for our family.
2024 Mammoth Hiking Challenge Recap
January 2, 2025
Two days into the new year and already we’re pining for peak hiking season.
Before we fully close the chapter on 2024, we’re taking a moment to celebrate our completion of the 2024 Mammoth Hiking Challenge! We completed the challenge in October and recently received our certificates of completion and commemorative patches in the mail.
The hiking mission we accepted? Hiking 44 miles on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and visiting three trail communities during the month of October.
This is the fourth consecutive Mammoth Hiking Challenge that Justin and I have completed together. We started in 2020 – the first year of the challenge. This year, we completed the challenge with our then 7-month-old daughter. I was eager to have our daughter share this experience with us and enjoy the natural beauty and diverse landscapes of our home state. We chose to hike the full Delafield Segment and part of the Janesville Segment since both have long stretches of paved trail – perfect for stroller hikes. We ended the challenge with a quick sunset hike on the Verona Segment and hiked with our little one in a comfy body carrier.
We also came up with the perfect way to display our trail patches – on jean jackets!
The trails are always calling our names. We hope to make 2025 our most unforgettable hiking year yet. Happy New Year!
Janesville Segment
October 13, 2024
Today we enjoyed the colors of the changing season on the Janesville segment located in the southeastern part of Wisconsin close to the Illinois border. The beginnings of the color change are something we always enjoy as it signals that natural ebb and flow between summer’s vibrancy and winter’s impeding slowdown. We’re lucky we live in the upper Midwest where the seasonal changes can be seen and felt so acutely. It makes for a unique hiking experience each time we hit the trail.
This was our first hike on this 10.3 mile stretch of the Janesville segment. Technically the Janesville segment is another 1.7 miles long when you factor in the bit of trail that connects to the Milton segment. We started at the corner of E. Milwaukee Street right where the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites sits and headed north along the Rock River. This part of the segment was paved and perfect for the stroller. We hiked 1.65 miles, ending at Hamilton Avenue; pretty darn close to the start of the Devil’s Staircase segment. On our out and back hike, we got to enjoy lovely Rock River views – nearly start to finish. We learned that the Rock River Trail is a National Water Trail (a subset of the National Recreation Trails program). This designation means that the 320 miles of protected waterway is open to the public to use for free for outdoor recreation purposes such as fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking and boating.
While it was our first time visiting Janesville, an Ice Age Trail Community, a lot of shops and restaurants downtown were closed. This might be the norm for a Sunday but considering how big Janesville is (population 65,000+ as of 2024) we expected more to be open. I guess this gives us a lot to look forward to when we return to continue chipping away at this longer segment!
Total miles hiked: 1.65
Delafield Segment
October 6, 2024
Today we revisited an old favorite of ours: the Delafield Segment. This 3-mile one-way segment holds a pride of place in our Ice Age Trail (IAT) hiking adventure – it’s the first IAT segment we ever hiked while on a date on July 9, 2020. After today’s hike, this segment hold’s even greater meaning to us and our Thousand-Miler journey. You see, today we took to the trail with our daughter. 6 months old and she already has 5.6 IAT miles logged and is working towards completing her first Mammoth Hike Challenge (Hike 44 miles and visit 3 Trail Communities all in the month of October). Introducing our daughter to this trail that we enjoy so much was a very special moment. We hope that through our IAT family hikes she will develop a love and respect for the outdoors and be able to stand in awe of the beauty our natural world holds.
Today’s hike also marks the first time we’ve gotten back on the IAT since October 22, 2023 (nearly one full calendar year ago) AND it officially kicks off our 5th year of hiking the IAT (our hiking years start on July 9).
We hiked the full segment in a few hours beneath a cloudless, bright blue sky. We started the hike by walking across the scenic boardwalk traversing a wetland and up to the start of the Lapham Peak Segment which connects to the Delafield Segment. Next, we meandered through downtown Delafield making a stop to pick up some trail magic at Clear Water Outdoor and the Delafield Public Library. We finished by hiking the paved portion of the trail that overlaps with the Lake Country Trail, a 15-mile paved trail that used to be a railway.
What’s Trail Magic? Basically, it’s something that local businesses offer to IAT hikers during the month of October that helps bring hikers into trail communities. In Delafield we picked up a mini Clif Bar and collectible 2024 Mammoth Hike Challenge sticker at Clearwater and a little field notebook at the Public Library. These items were free. You’ll also commonly find discounts or promotions for hikers offered as well at select/participating businesses.
Total miles hiked: 5.6 (out and back)
Year 4 Recap
October 5, 2024
Year 4 was our slowest year yet on the IAT, but we have the best explanation for why that was: we welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world in March 2024! Now with a little one at home, we had to momentarily press pause on hiking. All things considered, we still made great progress!
Our stats from year 4 (July 9, 2023 – July 9, 2024)
Total miles hiked: 24.71
Total segments completed: 3 (Baraboo, Holy Hill & Arbor Ridge)
Awards programs completed: 1 (Meander the Mid-Moraine)
Highlights: Hiking part of the Underdown Segment. This one started with us crunching and kicking our way through colorful fallen leaves only to be kicked out into an enchanted forest with large ferns and towering pines – can’t wait to get back to this one to see what other surprises it holds in store for us.
Arbor Ridge
October 22, 2023
Gas up your car, hit the road and get ready to ooh and aah along the 2.1-mile Arbor Ridge segment. This was the first IAT segment in Rock County we’ve hiked, and it did not disappoint. We were surprised to see that this segment is part of a whole network of trails connected to the Robert Cook Memorial Arboretum. The signage is quite clear but something you need to stay mindful of when hiking this segment so as not to diverge down another trail. This trail led us along bedrock hills, and we had to look down much more than we typically do to make sure we didn’t trip on exposed tree roots. We also hiked above a creek and marsh and through a mixed hardwood forest filled with giant oaks. We wandered a bit off the trail in search of a restroom and came upon a wooden sign with this quote “If you want to learn the best way to live, observe nature.” – Author Unknown. We found it too be solid food for thought.
Holy Hill
October 14 and October 25, 2023
We think hiking the Ice Age trail is pretty great any time of year but hiking it in the fall adds an extra overlay of beauty, with the colors changing. One of the best places close to Milwaukee to enjoy timeless fall colors is at Holy Hill. Besides being home to the Basilica and National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians (built in 1920), you’ll also find the eons old 6.8-mile-long Holy Hill segment of the IAT. We hiked the full segment over two afternoons. We were surprised to see bright yellow birch trees lighting up much of the trail on our hike. We also enjoyed American Beech tree views – turns out much of Wisconsin’s beaches are in the eastern part of the state. Who knew!
Overall, the trail was easy with most of the steep terrain near the Basilica. We hiked through not only mixed forests but also prairie and at one point cut along someone’s property only to step into a wetland. We passed a lot of hikers on this trail – probably because this is a very popular spot in October with plenty to keep the kiddos entertained and the seasoned hikers enticed.
With the completion of this segment, we’ve hiked all 45.8 miles in Washington County and can submit our completed hiking log to the Washington/Ozaukee County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance for the “Meander the Mid-Moraine” achievement program!
Verona
October 8, 2023
This is the very first segment of the Ice Age Trail we ever completed – back in 2020 when we first got serious about our thousand-miler journey. We revisited the segment again while spending the weekend in Verona and loved it as much as we did the first time, we hiked it. It’s a wonderful, suburban segment that led us past wetlands and kettle pond, rolling prairies and classic Driftless area landscapes. Beyond the natural beauty of the segment, we got to enjoy a vibrant Ice Age Trail community too!
Harrison Hills
October 1, 2023
This 14.4-mile segment is known for its rolling topography. A challenging hike we were surrounded by brilliant fall foliage from start to finish. It offered a peak at the best landscapes Wisconsin has to offer including strands of hardwoods ablaze in reds, yellows, and oranges in the fall. Part of this trail is also an active logging site so parts of it led us through semi-barren land only to reemerge into a dazzling landscape at our next turn.
Underdown Segment
September 30, 2023
This is an incredibly serene albeit challenging trail. We hiked through crimson sugar maples that set the hilly trail ablaze and we got to enjoy the golden glow of native beech trees.
We meandered into an Enchanted Forest and hiked through magical hemlock groves ripe with mushrooms and ferns. We didn’t’ feel like we were in Wisconsin while our boots were on the ground on this segment. While we only hike about 2 miles of this 6.1-mile segment, we already can’t wait to return to see what the rest of the trail has in store for us!
Fun Fact: Sugar Maples have been the official state tree of Wisconsin since 1949!
Baraboo Segment
August 26, 2023
We started our fourth year of hiking the Ice Age Trail by completing the entire 4-mile-long Baraboo segment today! Expect to see the SPECTACULAR on this segment. We started our hike not knowing much about what we would see which made this hike even better. We traveled along the Baraboo River, passed the Ochsner zoo, old bridges a WWII memorial and the Circus world museum complex including the once operational camel house. There was an elephant sighting too!
We picked up the trailhead from the parking lot in the UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County campus (by the disc golf course). It was cool to see a college campus neither of us has visited before and the start of the trail led us through classic Wisconsin woods.
In total we hiked 7.7 miles and explored most of Baraboo and West Baraboo. The trail was largely along paved paths and sidewalks through parks and residential areas, but it was by no means an easy hike. Thankfully, the 100+ temps we were seeing in Wisconsin decided to take a break on our hiking day. Nothing but a cloudy and overcast day which was fine by us.
How We Track the Miles We Hike
July 28, 2023
We use this Ice Age Trail Thousand-Miler Map and Checklist which we purchased online through the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
If you become a member of the Ice Age Trail Alliance one of the membership perks is a discount on all store products. The discount is effective immediately once you become a member too!
While out on the trail, we track the hike using the app, MapMyRun. We also use Google Maps to drop pins when we only hike part of a segment and will need to return at a later date.
3-year IAT Hiking Anniversary!
July 9, 2023
3 years ago, to the date we started hiking on the IAT with the goal of becoming Thousand-Milers. It’s been a wild ride filled marked with natural beauty and endless discovery. Our endurance has been tested as has our patience with pesky mosquitoes. We always find something to marvel at on each segment we set out on which is amazing when you stop and remember that all of the segments are linked together across just one state. We never know if we will stumble across a creek or boardwalk a path riddled with mud or a fallen tree. It’s always an exciting adventure and one we look forward to continuing until we cross that finish line at either the eastern or western terminus – that detail is still TBD.
Our stats from year 3 (July 9, 2022 – July 9, 2023)
Total miles hiked: 74.9
Total segments completed: 8
Awards programs completed: 1
Highlights: it’s a tie between our first snow hike with snow pants in Waushara County and chasing fall colors in Chippewa
Sauk Point
July 7, 2023
After the way this segment started, we’ll admit that we were a bit hesitant to lace up our boots and get to hiking. In the end, we were pleasantly surprised and ended up completing the segment after 2.2 miles and decided to hike the road back mostly to avoid the bugs.
Total miles hiked: 2.2 (on the IAT only)
# of fellow hikers passed on the trail: 2-4
Miles remaining to hike on this segment: 0! We completed this segment after two days of day hiking it.
Merrimac Segment
July 2, 2023
What a gorgeous segment! We hiked the segment on-way which was 3.7 miles and took the road back to our starting point. On this segment we wandered through farmland, crossed over boardwalks and hiked among oak savannas (a first for us on the IAT). We also trekked on sandy hills and enjoyed handfuls of black berries which were ripe for the picking. We passed or rather were passed up by 5-6 fast-packers or runners while hiking and also saw many people who came out on the trail just to forage for berries; most had full bags or containers too!
Total miles hiked: 3.7
# of fellow hikers passed on the trail: 0
Miles remaining to hike on this segment: 0! We completed this segment in a single day hike
Did you know? In the picture above, the land where this farm sits and boardwalk snakes through was covered with a thick sheet of ice 16,000 years ago. The ice sheet was part of the end of the last continental glacier, which shaped much of the landscape you see today in Wisconsin!
IAT Trail Community: Village of West Baraboo and the City of Baraboo
July 1, 2023
Some communities close to IAT segments or with IAT segments running through parts of their community are known as Ice Age Trail Communities. It is a prestigious designation given to communities (via an application process) that go above and beyond to showcase and help preserve their area trail. After hiking part of the 3.3-mile Sauk Point segment we visited downtown Baraboo which became the 18th Trail community in the Spring of 2023.
Baraboo is full of small-town magic and honestly feels like the backdrop to a movie set! We enjoyed taking a sundown stroll around the main square and sipping local brews at a few of the brewpubs downtown.
We can’t wait to return to the City of Baraboo and check out the Village of West Baraboo when we return to the area to hike the 8.1-mile-long Baraboo Segment!
Sauk Point
July 1, 2023
We kicked off the fourth of July holiday weekend with a morning hike on the Sauk Point Segment. The bugs were terrible and of course we forgot the bug spray (ugh!) Overall, the terrain was tough and rugged, but we pushed through and completed exactly half of the segment in a few hours. The shade on this trail helped especially because it was about 90 degrees when we were halfway into our hike. We didn’t pass many fellow hikers while out (probably because they were all at the beach!) For not having hiked the IAT for about 2 months, it felt so good to be back in our element on the trail.
Total miles hiked: 4.4
# of fellow hikers passed on the trail: maybe 2
Miles remaining to hike on this segment: 2.2
Random fact: Whenever we hike IAT segments in Sauk County or nearby, we always camp at Devil’s Lake State Park – the most visited state park in Wisconsin with a freshwater lake that will make you feel like you’re in a whole other country/continent! If you want to or plan to visit Devil’s Lake State Park to camp during a the fourth of July weekend, you will need to book a campsite months in advance. For July 2023, we booked our campsite in August 2022 – right when the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) opened up campsite reservations for the next year. To learn more about camping in Wisconsin, visit this Wisconsin DNR website.
The North Beach at Devil’s Lake State Park the weekend of the 4th of July 2023
We are now Kettle Trekkers!
April 24, 2023
We’ve successfully hiked ALL the segments in Walworth and Jefferson counties! This comes out to 26.2 miles but, as we tend to double-back on trails when hiking, our total miles hiked in this region is much, much higher. We started hiking in this region on December 25, 2021. Yes, on Christmas Day. We both had COVID which prevented us from spending time with our family but, we were feeling fine and asymptomatic, so we decided to get out, enjoy the fresh air and hiked the full 7.0-mile Blackhawk segment. We rounded out this county by hiking the 1.6-mile Clover Valley segment.
Clover Valley Segment
April 9, 2023
We started Easter Sunday with a scenic yet very mucky hike on the Clover Valley Segment. The trail winds through a State wetland/wildlife area and has a total of 6 boardwalks. That’s equivalent to 1 boardwalk about ever 1/4 of a mile – by far the most boardwalks we’ve seen on any segment to date!
When we reached the end of the segment, our shoes were soaked. Instead of doubling back, we looped back to the start via paved back country roads along rolling farmlands. The farm smell was brutal but nothing the two of us couldn’t handle.
Total miles hiked: 1.6 (just on the IAT)
# of fellow hikers passed on the trail: 0
Miles remaining to hike on this segment: 0 – we completed this segment in a single day hike
Ice Age Trail Hiking Award Programs
March 30, 2023
After completing all trail miles within an Ice Age Trail Chapter’s geographic area, you can celebrate your achievement by participating in one of 11 available hiking award programs. You will need to mail in your completed hiking log for the specific region you hiked along with a small fee which the chapter uses to support chapter activities like trail maintenance. Once the chapter receives your submission and reviews, you’ll receive a patch and in most programs a completion certificate too!
To date, we’ve completed 1 Hiking Incentive programs: Walk the Wauk (Waukesha County; 45.5 total miles).
Whitewater Lake Segment
March 18, 2023
We ended our 2023 winter hiking season with a chilly 3.6-mile day hike on the Whitewater Lake Segment. We sauntered through part of the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest and enjoyed panoramic views showcasing a rolling landscape and farmland. At the end of this hike, we officially completed the full 4.6-mile segment. We have 1 remaining segment to hike in Walworth county which is the Clover Valley [1.6 miles] segment. Once we hike Clover Valley we’ll complete all trail miles within the Jefferson/Walworth county geographic area and can apply for an Ice Age Trail Hiking Award Program.
How We Track the Miles We Hike
We use this Ice Age Trail Thousand-Miler Map and Checklist which we purchased online through the Ice Age Trail Alliance.
If you become a member of the Ice Age Trail Alliance one of the membership perks is a discount on all store products. The discount is effective immediately once you become a member too!
While out on the trail, we track the hike using the app, MapMyRun. We also use Google Maps to drop pins when we only hike part of a segment and will need to return at a later date.
Holy Hill Segment
January 18, 2023
We revisited the Holy Hill segment – our first time on this segment since October 2020. In the fall, this is THE spot to hike for unbeatable, 360 views of fall colors. But the colors are here and gone in a flash and while the colors peak so do the crowds. But in the winter, you’ll find solitude on this segment. We were well bundled with layers and long Johns and thankfully the air was still during our hike. We meandered around kettles – the namesake of the Kettle Moraine Forest we found ourselves in. We walked leisurely along a farm and private properties delineated by barbed wire. We even blazed our own trail towards the end where we found ourselves sliding down an icy hill on our butts because there was no other way we’d make it to the end.
Total miles hiked: 3
# of fellow hikers passed on the trail: 0
Miles remaining to hike on this segment: 3.8
Milwaukee River Segment – Washington County
January 8, 2023
We hiked a total of 5.23 miles on a balmy winter Sunday. We made sure to start early to finish in time to catch the 3 p.m. Green Bay Packers game. At the start, we passed a small iced over pond before quickly setting down a winding trail edged by barren white birch and lush pines. Initially we thought we were out for a shorter hike, but we were on the trail for much longer. We’re glad we pushed through because this hike marks the completion of the full 6.9-mile segment, leaving us with one segment to hike before we complete all segments in Washington County!
