Most people exploring the shape and feel of the land do so close to home. The edge of the ice was pretty close to where I live now and traveled as far south as Janesville.
Judging the seriousness of the trek can be determined by the clothing worn by the Ice Age Trail hiker. Shorts and a T-shirt? Not so serious.
If, on the other hand, you are going to really walk and experience the trail you better dress for the part. Sturdy walking shoes, long sleeves, long pants, a hat with a brim all the way around, and some walking sticks are a good start.
Long ago, maybe 15,000 years ago, the glacier shaved and shaped the land. That means hills, valleys, swales, creeks, rivers, and lakes. It's gorgeous.
You can walk a few miles at a time. Or you can set out at one end (Taylor Falls) and reach the other (Sturgeon Bay). More than 100 hikers have completed the trail. Some conquered it in one long walk and others took small bites over a period of time.
A former work colleague is working on the later approach, hoping to walk five to ten miles at a time.
The trail isn't continous. It's getting there, but there are several long stretches of the glacier's edge still on private property.
I was in high school when the idea of creating a trail from the St. Croix River to the peninsula of Door County took shape.
Unfortunately, I've only traveled small portions of the trail.
This section is part of Dane County's Prairie Moraine Park just south of Verona.
On the north side of Verona is another stretch of the trail. It's also a stretch of bike path from a county road down to its connection with the Military Ridge State Trail.
A couple of miles out of more than a thousand.
Hike. Bike. Run. Experience the land up close and personally. Whether you go the distance or not, walk the Ice Age Trail line.
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