Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation

Marquette Chapter

About Us

What is the Ice Age Trail?

The Ice Age Trail is part of the National Park Service National Scenic Trail System. The Trail loosely follows the terminus of the glaciers from the last ice age. It traverses the state starting at Potawatomi State Park in Door County, runs southeast through the Kettle Moraines to Janesville, turns north going west of Madison, through Devil's Lake State Park, north to Langlade County, and then meanders west through northern forests to Interstate State Park on the St Croix National Scenic Riverway. Currently, about 600 miles out of a total of 1100 planned miles are completed statewide.

The Mission of the Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation is to create, support and protect a thousand-mile foot trail tracing Ice Age formations across Wisconsin, known as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail".

Geology of the Ice Age Trail

12,000 to 18,000 years ago,ice sheets over two miles thick at their point of origin, stretched from northern Canada to cover much of Wisconsin and North America. Mounds of glacial material were deposited at the forward edge of the glacier, forming the terminal moraine. The Ice Age Trail follows this moraine through Wisconsin.

For more information go to The Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation Web Site www.iceage.trail

Marquette Chapter
Ice Age Trail
Volunteers Are the Heart of the Organization

The Marquette Chapter volunteers construct and maintain trails,lead hikes and field trips,educate,assist in land stewardship, and promote collaboration with others.

TheJohn Muir Segment of the Ice Age Trail is in Buffalo Township in Marquette Co. This area was the boyhood home of John Muir. Muir grew up playing and studying the natural world around Ennis Lake now the site of John Muir Park and a beautiful segment of the Ice Age Trail. Muir, an explorer, scientist, and author, studied ecosystems worldwide and played an instrumental role in the conception of the National Park System and the preservation and conservation movement.

Many activities of the Marquette Chapter are designed specifically to involve children and families. Volunteers promote stewardship through trail building, trail maintanence and habitat restoration. The Chapter works with community partners to help promote healthy lifestyles by making hiking and outdoors stewardship experiences a possibility for every person.

Planned 2007 activities include: full moon hikes, periodic trail improvement, habitat restoration and National Trails Day activities. Special interest hikes such as a Frog Hike at John Muir Park, and a prairie plant and restoration hike are also planned. The Articles side bar of this site has Event Flyers that you can print and share with friends.

Meetings of the Marquette Chapter are held on the third Tues of each month. The annual membership meeting is held in February. You are welcome to join us at any time. A volunteer "Thank You" dinner is held in Jan/Feb.

Please check the Events Calendar for specific times and locations of activities. To learn more see the Contact Us section.

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 Marquette Co. Chapter please contact Chapter Coordinator: wolenbrg@palacenet.net

See you on the Trail!

DEER HUNTING SEASON: CHECK FOR SPECIAL HUNT DATES

All Marquette Co trail segments are closed during the deer hunt from SATURDAY,NOVEMBER 18 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26. Check with the DNR for other special scheduled hunts.