Ice Age Trail Alliance
Lodi Chapter

Last August nearly 150 volunteers gathered for 4 days in the Lodi Valley to help build a new segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail with the help of the Mobile Skills Crew and the Lodi Valley Chapter of the IAPTF. The hard working trail builders came from all over the state and as far away as DeKalb, Illinois and St. Paul, Minnesota. 150 volunteers, over half of who were from the Lodi area, contributed 2,491 volunteer hours while crafting a premier foot trail. Volunteers braved the rain, heat, humidity, poison ivy and two tornadoes to create this one of a kind hiking experience.

Along the way the trail crews absorbed magnificent views of the Lodi area from campsites courtesy of Frank Groves, enjoyed listening to special guest speaker Dave Kucuk share stories from his thru hike of the IAT, and sat around a warm campfire and shared their own stories from the day. Each morning Project Support would ring the breakfast bell, hungry volunteers rolled from their tents, brushed the dust off their trail clothes and got ready for another day on the hill.

Thanks to the work of the volunteers, trail users can now hike for just over a mile from the Merrimac Ferry Wayside to the top of a Prairie du Chien dolomite and Cambrian sandstone bluff some 200 ft from the surface of Lake Wisconsin. Along the way hikers utilize 4-Step Tread, a retaining wall made from invasive red cedar and stone steps. Once to the top, views of Lake Wisconsin and the surrounding glacial landscape abound. From here the trail meanders through patches of red cedar where volunteers have established a corridor in the form of a linear prairie, protecting remnant prairie and reestablishing patches of big and little blue stem for future generations to enjoy.

The Lodi Valley Chapter would like to thank all of those who gave generously of their time, especially the hard working and trail savvy Mobile Skills Crew, to help create this new addition to the Ice Age Trail. In addition a special thank you must be extended to the Friends of Scenic Lodi Valley for a great supper, the Okee Community Center for tornado protection, the Town of Lodi and Lodi Agricultural Fair for the use of picnic tables and supplies, the Lodi Coffee Roasters for the morning jolt and the private donors of goods and services. Lastly, thanks go to the American Hiking Society and National Park Service for financial assistance.

The Colsac Segment begins at the landing for ColSac III. Otherwise known as the Merrimac Ferry, ColSac III is the only remaining free ferry in the state of Wisconsin. The route travels from the ferry landing through the Ferry Wayside, which is managed by Columbia County Highway Department in conjunction with WisDOT. The trail continues east/southeast north of Highway 113 and within the right of way, under the cover of walnut, oak and cherry trees. The route crosses Highway 113 near North Cross Arm Road, providing acceptable sight lines for crossing and allowing easy access for residents of the Woodland Hills subdivision. After crossing Highway 113, the trail continues east/southeast within WisDOT right of way and enters the northwest corner of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation (IAPTF) owned Steenbock Property.

The Steenbock Property was gifted by the Evelyn Steenbock Estate to The Nature Conservancy in 1994 as a trade land. The property was transferred from The Nature Conservancy to the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation in 1997. The entire property is approximately 60 acres total, containing secondary woods and prairie remnants. The site sits on a bedrock bluff of fractured Prairie du Chien dolomite overlying Cambrian sandstone in the glaciated region of southwestern Columbia County. The mound rises over 200 feet above the surface of nearby Lake Wisconsin and offers a scenic view of the lake and surrounding region. The site has yielded Native American artifacts, no doubt due to its location along the Wisconsin River and prominence in the landscape. In addition, the Steenbock Property rests just a short distance from Gibralter Rock, one of the 12 identified "Gems" of the Ice Age Trail.

Upon entering the property, the trail gains approximately 200 ft of elevation in roughly 1,000 ft of tread. Several structures, including 3 climbing turns, steps and a retaining wall are part of the design thus making steady increase in elevation possible. After gaining the necessary elevation the route follows a ridgeline providing grand views of Lake Wisconsin and the surrounding glacial landscape through large oak trees. The trail then turns south/southeast connecting several remnant prairie areas and completing a loop. The trail is just over 1 mile in total distance, one way.

Red cedar is found throughout the Steenbock Property. This aggressive species has taken over much of the property leaving small pockets of remnant prairie that will be connected via the trail corridor. The loss of Foundation burn insurance has necessitated creative means of removing the species. To meet this need, the Lodi Valley Chapter has worked with an anonymous donor to purchase a wood chipper/shredder to help reduce the impact of red cedar and connect portions of remnant prairie. A large part portion of work on the trail in the Steenbock Property focuses on removing the red cedar and creating a "linear prairie" outlined by the trail corridor. This project is a collaboration of trail building and restoration to create a high quality hiking experience.