There are only 11 national scenic trails in the United States, and one of them is right here in Wisconsin. The Ice Age Trail is a gorgeous trail that not many people outside of Wisconsin know about and, unfortunately, not everyone in Wisconsin knows about, either. That’s kind of crazy because the trail is a whopping 1,000 miles long, making it pretty hard to miss. All 1,000 miles are contained within the state. However, unless you’re an intense hiker, you probably aren’t going to hit 1,000 miles, especially not all at once. Listed below are 10 mini hikes you can take along the Ice Age Trail. They’re also some of the best hikes in Wisconsin.

  1. Merrimac Segment

Joshua Mayer/Flickr Lightly rolling terrain and meadows await you on this segment of the trail. There are even sections with sand dunes. Go off-course on some boardwalks and even down into some mowed prairie.

  1. Straight Lake Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This part of the trail will take you through Straight Lake State Park. It’s a truly pristine natural area. Walk along the North Shore for stunning lake views.

  1. Sturgeon Bay Segment

Bart Everson/Flickr The eastern terminus of the Ice Age Trail is right in Potawatomi State Park. You’ll definitely want to hike the 3-mile section that hugs Sturgeon Bay. This part of the trail also coincides with some of the biking trails.

  1. Scuppernong Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This portion of the trail will have you hiking through kettles in Kettle Moraine. A kettle is a pothole filled with water. These potholes were formed when glaciers retreated during the last Ice Age.

  1. Devil’s Staircase

Amy Bayer/Flickr In this segment, you’ll be winding through 50-foot sandstone bluffs. You’ll also get some pretty nice views of the Rock River. It’s only 1.8 miles long, making it achievable for virtually anyone.

  1. Mecan River Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This 5.5-mile hike gives you some pretty spectacular views of the Mecan River. You’ll pass by some delightful springs. You’ll also walk through some pretty hardwood and pine forests.

  1. Old Railroad Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr Once upon a time, a train ran from Koepenick to the Pearson area. This area is full of pretty wetlands, both large and small. You’ll also see a shallow glacial lake basin.

  1. Chippewa Moraine Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This virtually untouched part of Wisconsin will leave you floored with its kettle lakes and glacial features. Walk up hills and then into the gorgeous valleys. You’ll love all the beautiful wildflowers.

  1. John Muir Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This segment is a small loop around a lake in Montello, making it easy for anyone to do. Walk out onto a pier on Ennis Lake. Wooden foot bridges take you through forested areas.

  1. Table Bluff Segment

Amy Bayer/Flickr This incredible segment of the trail is full of rolling hills. It is also full of prairies, as well as steep, rocky slopes. There are plenty of overlooks to get great views of the area.

Looking for more great hiking trails? Be sure to check out these ideas.

Joshua Mayer/Flickr

Lightly rolling terrain and meadows await you on this segment of the trail. There are even sections with sand dunes. Go off-course on some boardwalks and even down into some mowed prairie.

Amy Bayer/Flickr

This part of the trail will take you through Straight Lake State Park. It’s a truly pristine natural area. Walk along the North Shore for stunning lake views.

Bart Everson/Flickr

The eastern terminus of the Ice Age Trail is right in Potawatomi State Park. You’ll definitely want to hike the 3-mile section that hugs Sturgeon Bay. This part of the trail also coincides with some of the biking trails.

This portion of the trail will have you hiking through kettles in Kettle Moraine. A kettle is a pothole filled with water. These potholes were formed when glaciers retreated during the last Ice Age.

In this segment, you’ll be winding through 50-foot sandstone bluffs. You’ll also get some pretty nice views of the Rock River. It’s only 1.8 miles long, making it achievable for virtually anyone.

This 5.5-mile hike gives you some pretty spectacular views of the Mecan River. You’ll pass by some delightful springs. You’ll also walk through some pretty hardwood and pine forests.

Once upon a time, a train ran from Koepenick to the Pearson area. This area is full of pretty wetlands, both large and small. You’ll also see a shallow glacial lake basin.

This virtually untouched part of Wisconsin will leave you floored with its kettle lakes and glacial features. Walk up hills and then into the gorgeous valleys. You’ll love all the beautiful wildflowers.

This segment is a small loop around a lake in Montello, making it easy for anyone to do. Walk out onto a pier on Ennis Lake. Wooden foot bridges take you through forested areas.

This incredible segment of the trail is full of rolling hills. It is also full of prairies, as well as steep, rocky slopes. There are plenty of overlooks to get great views of the area.

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Address: Ice Age Trail HWY 67 Trailhead, Eagle, WI 53119, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

best hikes in wisconsin April 14, 2022 Jennifer Young What are three easy hikes in Wisconsin that can be experienced all year long? Wisconsin is filled with many wonderful trails. Listed below are three easy trails that are great for hiking all year long.

  1. Ice Age Trail: Monches Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail: Monches is a 3.7-mile, point-to-point trail near Hartland. Over the years, it’s become a popular trail for birding, backpacking, and camping.
  2. Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail The Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail is a four-mile loop trail that’s located at Pattison State Park. Many people choose to use this year-round trail for hiking, birding, and camping.
  3. Mallard Lake Trail Located within Wisconsin’s Whitnall Park is the Mallard Lake Trail, a 1.4-mile loop trail. This short and scenic trail is mostly used for hiking, walking, and birding. What is one of the best kid-friendly hikes around Wisconsin that’s also one of the shortest? There are several trails in Wisconsin that are perfect for kids to hike. One of them is Merrimac’s Gibraltar Rock, a 1.4-mile loop trail with an easy level of difficulty. In addition to hiking, many people choose to use this trail for birding and camping. The best time of year to use the Wisconsin trail is from March through October. What’s one of the most scenic hikes in Wisconsin that belongs on everyone’s bucket list? There are many hiking trails near me in Wisconsin that belong on your outdoor bucket list. One of the most scenic is the East Bluff Trail at Devil’s Lake State Park. The views you’ll experience while hiking the East Bluff Trail are spectacular, and it’s also a great trail to hike during the fall season.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

best hikes in wisconsin

April 14, 2022

Jennifer Young

What are three easy hikes in Wisconsin that can be experienced all year long? Wisconsin is filled with many wonderful trails. Listed below are three easy trails that are great for hiking all year long.

  1. Ice Age Trail: Monches Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail: Monches is a 3.7-mile, point-to-point trail near Hartland. Over the years, it’s become a popular trail for birding, backpacking, and camping.
  2. Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail The Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail is a four-mile loop trail that’s located at Pattison State Park. Many people choose to use this year-round trail for hiking, birding, and camping.
  3. Mallard Lake Trail Located within Wisconsin’s Whitnall Park is the Mallard Lake Trail, a 1.4-mile loop trail. This short and scenic trail is mostly used for hiking, walking, and birding. What is one of the best kid-friendly hikes around Wisconsin that’s also one of the shortest? There are several trails in Wisconsin that are perfect for kids to hike. One of them is Merrimac’s Gibraltar Rock, a 1.4-mile loop trail with an easy level of difficulty. In addition to hiking, many people choose to use this trail for birding and camping. The best time of year to use the Wisconsin trail is from March through October. What’s one of the most scenic hikes in Wisconsin that belongs on everyone’s bucket list? There are many hiking trails near me in Wisconsin that belong on your outdoor bucket list. One of the most scenic is the East Bluff Trail at Devil’s Lake State Park. The views you’ll experience while hiking the East Bluff Trail are spectacular, and it’s also a great trail to hike during the fall season.  

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Wisconsin is filled with many wonderful trails. Listed below are three easy trails that are great for hiking all year long.

  1. Ice Age Trail: Monches

Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail: Monches is a 3.7-mile, point-to-point trail near Hartland. Over the years, it’s become a popular trail for birding, backpacking, and camping.

  1. Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail

The Big Manitou Falls and Manitou Falls Trail is a four-mile loop trail that’s located at Pattison State Park. Many people choose to use this year-round trail for hiking, birding, and camping.

  1. Mallard Lake Trail

Located within Wisconsin’s Whitnall Park is the Mallard Lake Trail, a 1.4-mile loop trail. This short and scenic trail is mostly used for hiking, walking, and birding.

What is one of the best kid-friendly hikes around Wisconsin that’s also one of the shortest?

There are several trails in Wisconsin that are perfect for kids to hike. One of them is Merrimac’s Gibraltar Rock, a 1.4-mile loop trail with an easy level of difficulty. In addition to hiking, many people choose to use this trail for birding and camping. The best time of year to use the Wisconsin trail is from March through October.

What’s one of the most scenic hikes in Wisconsin that belongs on everyone’s bucket list?

There are many hiking trails near me in Wisconsin that belong on your outdoor bucket list. One of the most scenic is the East Bluff Trail at Devil’s Lake State Park. The views you’ll experience while hiking the East Bluff Trail are spectacular, and it’s also a great trail to hike during the fall season.