The Ice Age Trail is one of only 8 National Scenic Trails in the US and covers about 1200 miles in total. In 2023 the trail was designated a unit of the National Park System. About 11 miles of the Ice Age Trail travels through Devil’s Lake State Park. The Ice Age Trail is open to the public for hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing.
Established in 1958, the Ice Age Trail Alliance is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to preserve Wisconsin’s cultural and glacial heritage for the education and enjoyment for present and future generations. The organization has 21 chapters, including the Baraboo Hills Chapter, and over 2,000 members.
The most popular sections of Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail are located in Sauk County, in and around Devil’s Lake State Park. This includes the parks Roznos Meadow Trail, East Bluff Trail, West Bluff Trail, Johnson Moraine Trail, Sauk Point Trail, and part of the Uplands Trail. The trail also passes through the nearby Merrimac Preserve and Gibraltar Rock SNA. There is also a paved section in the City of Baraboo.
Formed 1.6 billion years ago, the Baraboo Hills rise 500 feet above the surrounding landscape. The Green Bay Lobe covered the eastern half of the Baraboo Hills and deposited the end moraine, which created Devil’s Lake. To the north and south of the Baraboo Hills, the trail crosses glacial out-wash plains and small moraines. A combination of interesting geology, diverse fauna, prehistoric effigy mounds, historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) buildings, and spectacular scenery make Devil’s Lake a popular “must-see” destination. The Ice Age Trail takes in much of this story as it winds through the park.
The Baraboo Hills Chapter portion of the trail lies nestled approximately seven miles south of Baraboo, Wisconsin. The trail begins at the Merrimac ferry and Lake Wisconsin and continues for approximately four miles through Riverland Conservancy’s wetland and prairie before traveling along the bluffs surrounding Devil’s Lake at Devil’s Lake State Park. A spur of the trail, which is approximately 4.4 miles in length begins on Hwy 113, and concludes at Parfrey’s Glen, another hidden treasure of Baraboo.
Memberships to the Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation provide much-needed financial support to help preserve the Ice Age Trail. Five dollars of each membership are allocated to the member’s local chapter. For more information about becoming a volunteer or offering financial support for the Baraboo Hills Chapter click here.