By Ice Age Trail Alliance – Portage/Waupaca County Chapter

Hard to believe that Fall is just around the corner as is our Chapter annual fall hike, Saturday, Oct. 7, at 8:30 a.m.!

Celebration of our 36th year will be once again at the Iola Winter Sports Club (IWSC), where we will be highlighting the completion of the 1.5-mile trail re-route through some of the most beautiful glacial landscape in our area. This year’s event will not disappoint.

From the start you will walk up the Grand Staircase that will lead to expertly-crafted trail through pines and deciduous forest north to a beautiful boardwalk overlooking a marsh, climbing over a drumlin, walking on an esker, viewing kettles along the way. At the end of the 1.5 mile walk you will descend along beautifully crafted crib stone steps coming to Stoltenberg Road.

From there, hikers can either turn around to head back to the IWSC Chalet or continue on about 4.5 miles before turning back, a total of 12 miles (a nice chunk of miles if you are participating in the 2023 IATA Mammoth Challenge). The topography is hummocky with kettle lakes, breathtakingly beautiful!
There will be water and apples at road crossings along the way, as well as a portable toilet at Krogwold Road.

NOTE: Dogs are welcome but do need to be on leash at all times. So please feel free to bring your four-legged family members!

Cost is $5 per person and $15 per family.