Ice, Ice Baby! WI Driftless Ice Cave Hikes

Hiking with BLUFFLANDS hiking group at Weister Creek ice cave
Image - Steve Dawson

I recently reacquainted myself with the delightful fun of Driftless ice caves, thanks to the Blufflands Hiking group. Steve Dawson, the group’s leader, plans and scouts interesting hikes that are open to all. The ice caves of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve (KVR) at Weister Creek Rd was this month's delightful destination - plus we added an extra stop at Wildcat Mountain State Park. It was the perfect time of winter to visit - snow cover to help us follow access trails and massive ice formations at the caves.

Peeking out of the ice curtain

In the Driftless, February to mid-March are especially great times to visit the ice caves. The KVR is an incredible landscape of sandstone cliffs and steep hills that follow the meandering curve of the Kickapoo River.

Unlike the Lake Superior ice caves formed by wave action, these caves are formed by spring fed water that seeps through and percolates over the edges of the numerous sandstone cliffs in the Driftless hills and coulees, especially in Wisconsin’s Kickapoo Valley Reserve and nearby Wildcat Mountain State Park. 

Almost to the Weister Creek ice cave

Freeze and thaw cycles also add to the ice sheets and create curtains of icicles across the openings of eroded sandstone bowls. These curtains and the undercut sandstone create perfect caves. Icy pillars and other formations are also a highlight.

Inside the Wildcat Mountain SP ice cave

Hiking sticks and microspikes or ice cleats are really helpful for these hikes. The trails to some of the caves are often quite steep as you climb up or down the slopes to reach your destination. 

Stand up - carefully -  and be counted inside
the Weister Creek ice cave.      Photo - Steve Dawson

The ice cave floors are thick with ice so care is needed once inside. And care is also needed when entering caves. It’s an art to squeeze between or underneath icicles to avoid breaking them. Leaving the ice as intact as possible means hikers who come after you have the same great experience.

One pro tip, if you haven't gone before, wait until there is snow on the ground. It is MUCH easier to follow the tracks of other ice cave seekers as you make your way to the caves

THE HIKE and The Locations
In the Driftless, February to mid-March are especially great times to visit the ice caves. The KVR boasts an incredible landscape of sandstone cliffs and steep hills that follow the meandering curve of the Kickapoo River. The cave at Wildcat Mountain State Park is also a very short, easy hike for everyone.
Here are three great hikes to see the ice caves:

Wildcat State Park ice cave
Image - Julie Keitel

Kickapoo Valley Reserve Weister Creek [EASY TO CHALLENGING] - S2666 Weister Creek Rd, La Farge  43.630471, -90.650354 (south of Ontario WI on Hwy 131, off Cty Rd P west) - A short 1mile out-and back hike. From the trailhead, walk alongside farm fields (any antler shed in those standing corn fields with deer tracks everywhere among the stalks?) and the banks of Weister Creek quickly brings you to a short, forested climb up to the first ice cave. The access to the first cave is very steep but the reward is worth is. This is a long cave with enough room for a group to stand in and be completely hidden by the icicle curtain. A second, less impressive cave that is more challenging to access can be found further down the unmarked trail.

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  Kickapoo Valley Reserve Valley of the Ice [CHALLENGING] - 3803 Corps Rd, La Farge   43.592603, -90.640282 (from the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitor Center, head left on Corps Road until you get to the Stark Town Hall and Maintenance Shed and park. You should see signs directing you towards the ice caves on the West Ridge snowmobile trail to begin your hike. Watch for blue tape to guide you). This is a longer hike (about 2.5 miles) and I would rate it as difficult due to the extremely steep and slick slopes as well as significant ice spillage as ice melts and refreezes outside the caves. Once beside the snowmobile trail, you will head up a high hill with some pretty sweet views. You will cross under some power lines which will alert you to look to the right for a trail(s) down into the valley. This is challenging and pretty steep going and is NOT recommended for those who are not in great shape and strong hikers. Even then, microspikes/ice cleats and at least one hiking stick can be extremely helpful.

• Wildcat Mountain State Park Ice Caves [EASY] - 13766 Cty Rd F, Ontario  43.688403, -90.568754 (Head through Wildcat Park and continue onto Cty Rd F to the parking lot by the ice cave sign parking lot) - This extremely short (just over .6 miles out and back) well-used trail, that starts between a flowing creek and impressive sandstone rock walls, is very easy with just a slight elevation gain making it perfect for all ages. The ice cave is fairly large and when I was recently there you could hear water dripping. There are pit toilets available near the halfway point in the trail.

I highly recommend at least one trip to explore these icy beauties. You need to purchase daily or annual passes for both the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and Wildcat Mountain State Park. I urge you do to so. So many parks and outdoor nature centers are struggling especially in recent times of funding cuts now and over the past decade or two. Our dollars can help support their missions.

You can read additional reviews of these trails at Wisconsin Explorer and Explore Southwest Wisconsin blogs.

Looking for more area hikes? Please stop by the web version of the blog and under the "Labels" tab on the right hand side of the blog, click on "find-a-hike". There are over 60 hike descriptions and lists of hikes to try!

The opening to the Weister Creek ice cave
Image - Tim Anderson

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters