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I hiked all segments of the Ice Age Trail. Here's why you should check it out, too

DAVID WAHLBERG
Sep 25, 2024
Sep 25, 2024 Updated Mar 13, 2025

Harrison Hills selfie with bike — Wisconsin State Journal reporter David Wahlberg hiked all segments of the Ice Age Trail, mostly from March 2021 to September 2024, often biking to one end and hiking back.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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DAVID WAHLBERG

As I crested a prairie hill, a valley lay before me, with bluffs adorned by rolling farms descending to Lodi Marsh, its cattails and sedges awakening in early spring.

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The Ice Age Trail stretches from Interstate Park near St. Croix Falls, shown here, to Potawatomi State Park near Sturgeon Bay.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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Hikers on trail — More than 500 people have hiked the entire 1,150-mile Ice Age Trail, including segments and connecting roads.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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WEB_ONLY_#20779_092524_MNI_Ice_Age_Trail NO CALLOUTS

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The Lake Michigan shoreline on the Point Beach segment of the Ice Age Trail is a nice contrast to the woods and prairies that make up much of the trail.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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Chippewa Moraine lake — The Chippewa Moraine segment of the Ice Age Trail, north of Eau Claire, features more than 20 picturesque lakes.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack

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The Mondeaux Dam Lodge, on the Mondeaux Esker segment of the Ice Age Trail north of Medford, was built in the 1930s. The restaurant typically isn't open or has limited hours in winter, but the manager let hiker David Wahlberg in during December to warm his feet.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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Boardwalk — Volunteers have built an untold number of boardwalks on the Ice Age Trail, including this one on the short White Cedar segment southeast of Wausau.
DAVID WAHLBERG, STATE JOURNAL

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Fording a river — Bridges span most rivers on the Ice Age Trail, but a few crossings involve fords that get hikers' feet wet.
MEGHAN HESSLER

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