The Ice Age Trail: A walk through prehistoric times

In 1958 an idea to create a unique Wisconsin hiking trail exploring our glaciated past turned into action and the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail (IATNST) was born. The journey to reach the goal of creating a 1200-mile trail following the southernmost terminus of the last glacier 12000 years ago began.
The 1200-mile trail includes both off-road and on-road miles with the ultimate goal to have all 1200 miles being off-road trails. Waushara County is proud to be home to over 25 miles of mostly off-road trail segments linking trails in Waupaca County and Marquette County. Waushara County holds the distinction that the northern terminus of the Mecan River Segment is the ½ way point of the 1200-mile IATNST adventure.
Along the trail through the state, explorers will see the wide array of the effects of the glacier on Wisconsin’s landscape and history. Huge depressions, called “Kettles”, were formed by the glacier scouring out the earth with many of them later filled by groundwater to form many of the lakes and ponds in the county. When the glacier melted it deposited enormous amounts of boulders, rocks and dirt into long ridges called “Moraines”. The trail through the state, and especially in Waushara, flows through Kettles and Moraines providing a scenic and often times challenging outdoor experience.
There are 7 trail segments in Waushara County. The Deerfield Segment is the northern most segment. Thanks to great private landowners this segment starts on Cty Tr O and ending 3.1 miles on Beechnut Ave. A 1.8-mile road trek leads to the 1.8-mile Bohn Lake Segment from 9th Ave to Cty Tr C. During this segment you’ll cross a 160-foot elevated board walk giving you a panoramic view of this classic kettle lake. Heading south 1 mile on 9th Ave starts the 5-mile Greenwood Segment west from 9th Ave 3.6 miles turning south across Brown Deer for another 1.4 miles to Bow String Dr. The 7.5-mile Mecan River Segment is the county’s longest and takes the adventure south from Buttercup Ave through the headwaters of the Mecan River following the river south to the segment’s end on Cumberland Ave. A quick 2.3-mile road section takes your adventure to the 1.2-mile Wedde Creek Segment. To reach the 2.5-mile Chaffee Creek Segment a short .7 mile walk west on Czech Ave reaches the start winding south under I-39 ending on 6th Ave or at the I-39 southbound rest area. The 7th segment is Chaffee Creek Pleasant Lake West Segment exploring a prairie area between 3rd Ave and Czech Dr, a spur trail closes the loop back to the parking lot on 3rd Ave.
Whether you want to stretch your legs on one segment or test yourself and cover them all Waushara County IATNCT can match all your desires.

The over 90 volunteer member Waushara Chapter of the IATNST maintains all these trails. Additionally, events throughout the year encourage everyone to discover and enjoy the trails. Events occur every season starting on Jan 1st First Day Hike through the spring to the summer chapter led hikes and Walk The Waush to the Fall Color Celebration in October. They recently held their Candlelight Hike in collaboration with the Coloma Pathfinders Snowmobile Club in February.
Waushara County is invited to attend the next IATNST learning event on ecology and the management of Wisconsin Timber Wolves. Come learn about timber wolf biology and history with presenter Dick Thiel, a retired WI DNR Timber Wolf Biologist, and Scott Thiel, a retired biology educator, at the Wautoma WWII Memorial Building, 440 W. Main St. on Sunday, March 15 from 1 to 4 p.m.