Hiking the Drifted - IAT Segments Near Aniwa (WI)

During the week following Memorial Day, I spent some quality time with hiking buddies from WI, exploring three segments of the Ice Age Trail in northern WI's Marathon and Langlade counties near Aniwa and Summit Lake. The Ice Age Trail (IAT) is a 1200 trail through WI's glaciated area that hugs the edges of the WI areas where the glaciers stopped. We left cars at both ends of the trails so all our hikes were one way.

Head nets and a rustic river crossing

As I mentioned in a previous post, hiking in the "drifted" area of WI and MN is quite different than the Driftless area. Our unglaciated high bluffs scream "Climb high on me!" The Ice Age Trail on the other hand is land that was ground down by the glacier and runs along its terminal moraine. This makes for rocky trails (or boulder-y as the case may be) and roller-coaster-y hiking. 

With their boggy sections and the ticks and mosquitoes out in force, head nets and/or a lot of DEET were a must. Actually, they kind of saved us - we were able to hike at a leisurely pace with no bloodletting.

A rock river crossing with perfectly placed
rocks that were "rock steady"

Plover River Segment (3 mile portion - Sportsma's Trailhead to Hwy 52 Trailhead)

We started at at the north end of the segment and worked our way south along the Plover River. We had some welcome boardwalks to get over the very wet boggy area and some river crossing as we hiked  The wildflowers were profuse - trillium, Canada mayflower, starflower, blue-bead lily and wild sarsaparilla were the thematic flowers for all three hikes. 

From its's boggy portions, the trail climbed up and down and included a great rock river crossing. The rocks were well-placed for hopping and steady as...a rock - no tipping. We were all impressed with the work of the IAT volunteers who maintain this trail. Their care and detailed building work made the trail a joy to hike!

The hike wound through fields of trillium in the hardwood forest - and fields of huge boulders left by the glaciers. The views of the river peeked in and out all along the trail. After crossing one final bridge at woods' end, we hiked through open grasslands to trailend. It is a delightful trail and I would highly recommend it for all hikers.

Nearing the end of the Plover River trail.
Image - Susan Knorr

Dells of the Eau Claire Segment (2.6 mile portion - Dells of the Eau Claire County Park to Hwy Z Trailhead)

Eau Claire River along the trail

This segment was far and away the most picturesque of the three IAT hikes we did in the area.  The Dells are truly magical. 

Mylonite bedrock boulders

We started at the south end of the segment in open fields and prairies and headed north. At the start, the young, sun-lit forest and grassy areas were again full of wild flowers. Soon we hit the Eau Claire River and followed it's swiftly flowing waters for the rest of the hike though huge boulder fields and mature forests.  

Near Sandberg Island at the southern boundary of the county park we passed the 45th parallel, halfway between the equator and the north pole. Stairs led down to the river and at low river levels, it looked like hikers could rock hop over to the island.

Hanging out in the dells
Image - Michele Besant

The reminder of the hike closely hugged the river and brought us to the main area of the dells, huge mylonite rock formations rising along the river banks. There were multiple places to head down to the banks and admire the rocks. Near hike's end, we crossed a massive old CCC constructed stone bridge with great views of the river. The hike ended in the county park. The trail is very easy, fairly short and connected to the county park trail system so it can be busy. We lucked out and had the trail to ourselves!

Highland Lakes Eastern Segment (2.8 mile portion, Deep Wood Rest Stop to Hwy B Trailhead)

This was our least favorite trail of the week, not least because we played Pied Piper to swarms of mosquitoes along the whole length of the hike. While no blood was spilled, it was an unceasing and annoying accompaniment to a ho-hum trail.

Open boggy area near Lake Susan

The first part of the hike went through a lovely wooded area along eskers and kettles and up and along a ridge to excellent views of Lake Susan. From the woods, the trail came out onto a gravel road that descended into an open boggy area. 

From there we followed the wide, graveled entrance road of Camp Susan through hardwoods, large swaths of firs and hummocky scenery. It was bird heaven on this hike. We heard and saw a fine variety of songbirds and waterfowl. 

While the scenery was nice, the wide road took away some of what we love about trail-hiking - narrow trails that bring you right into the topography and flora and busy life of the woods. Except for the slight elevation in the trail to the ridge, this is a hike that is quite easy for all levels of hikers. 

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

I Spy on the Trails - Week of May 28, 2023

The temps this past week reached into the high 80s and low 90's. Combined with the lack of rain over the past week and the haze from the continuing Canadian wildfires, hiking has been somewhat uncomfortable.  Water levels are going down although the Mississippi River continues at a slightly higher level and flow rate than usual at this time of year. 

All my week's hikes were in the north central region of WI and most were on Ice Age Trail segments - hardwoood forests, eskers and kettles and plenty of wet boggy areas. And rocks, many many rocks since these trails are along the terminal moraine of the glaciers.. Both mosquitoes and ticks were fierce. The full strawberry moon was a highlight as it waxed through the week. I also got to stand on the 45th parallel, north latitude (halfway between the equator and the north pole), on a hike which was fun!

Wildflowers

Wild sarsaparilla and trillium

• Trillium
• Wild Sarsaparilla
• Bunchberry
• Dryad's saddle
• Swamp saxifrage
• Wild geranium
• Red baneberry
• Wild blue phlox
• Two-leaf miterwort
• Blue cohosh
• Meadow rue
• Downy yellow violet
• Eastern waterleaf
• Blue-bead lily
• Canada mayflower
• Meadow buttercup
• Water avens
• Starflower
• False Solomon's seal
• Horse tails
• Ferns (Ostrich, maidenhair, sensitive, interrupted)
• Pussytoes

Wildlife (Seen, Heard)

Well camouflaged toad

• Common loon
• Barred owl
• American Redstart
• Red-eyed vireo
• Ovenbird
• American toad
• Black-throated green warbler
• Indigo bunting
• Common yellowthroat
• Veery
• Wood thrush
• Canada warbler
• Catbird
• Least flycatcher
• Hermit thrush
• Great crested flycatcher
• Rose breasted grosbeak
• Eastern phoebe
• Eastern wood pewee
• Mourning warbler

What are YOU noticing on your hikes?

This week's hike's: Erbach Park Trails, Athens (WI), IAT* Dells of the Eau Claire Segment Trail, Aniwa (WI), IAT* Plover River Trail Segment, Aniwa (WI), IAT* Highland Lakes Eastern Segment Trail, Langlade Co. (WI)

*IAT - Ice Age Trail

View of the Eau Claire River

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

The "I Spy on the Trails" column is a phenology (the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals) journal to chronicle year-round the weather, plant life and wildlife I observe while hiking. It is very useful in helping me compare observations from year-to-year. The column is published monthly from September through April and then twice-a-month from May through August when warm weather brings the natural world back to vibrant life.   

Hiking the Drifted - IAT Chippewa River Segment (WI)

The WI Natural Resources Foundation annually sponsors over 260 field trips from April -November. The widely varying trips might be hikes, climbs, paddles, hands-on work with resources or rides to see a natural phenomenon. These low cost trips have a strong learning component.

Image - Lavon Court

Recently, a friend and I went on one of their three-hour, 4 mile hikes on an Ice Age Trail (IAT) in north-central WI on the Chippewa River segment near Cornell. The IAT is a 1200 trail through WI's glaciated area that hugs the edges of the area where the glaciers stopped. The trails wind and head up and down over moraines and around kettles. 

The glaciated terrain is quite different from the Driftless where we have more massive bluff trails and flat river trails. The moraines and kettles that the glaciers carved create rolling landscapes with plenty of rocks that "float" to the surface. Trails meander around these hilly features and the bogs and marshy wetlands are part of the kettles throughout the glaciated area.

Image - Lavon Court

While our hike focus was on wildflowers, we also learned about how glaciation impacted the trails and area we were hiking in. I was particularly interested to see the flora 100 miles north of us and compare it to the wildflowers we are currently seeing in the Driftless. The trees on the trail were *just* beginning to bud (here the leaves have busted out in earnest and we are in shade tree heaven).

My expectation on this hike: I would see many of the ephemerals that had been abundantly present in our area 1.5 -2 weeks ago. But I got a surprise!

We saw many of the same ephemerals blooming there as we have blooming here - despite the distance! Along the trail, I saw early spring beauties along with a huge number of fully bloomed trilliums. I don't always find those two flowers blooming at the same time. We also saw two-leaf miterwort, marsh marigolds, little leaf butter cup, bellwort, white and yellow blooming trout lily, woodland horsetail, white rattlesnake root, wintercress, meadow rue, wood anemone - and a wood frog!

The hike itself was very interesting - especially in pre-mosquito times. With the lowlands and bogs as well as springs and rills, it is a wet environment - especially in the spring season. The trails are well maintained by the local Ice Age Trail Alliance folks. It is a fairly easy to hike and has great views of river, wetlands and forest.

THE HIKE

A 4 mile, out-and-back hike that starts along the steep north shore of the Chippewa River (the terminal moraine for the glacier) across from Burnet Island State Park. After a short segment, cross the highway and head into the Krank Nature Preserve (Chippewa County Land Conservancy made possible through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship program) where the trail has plenty of ups and downs and twists and turns following the moraines and skirting many kettles and lowland bogs through hardwood forests. Trails can be muddy.

Location:  23778 County Highway CC, Cornell, WI 54732

From Cornell, WI: take Hwy 64 (Bridge Street) west across the Blue Bridge. Turn right on Hwy CC.  Travel 2 miles  on Hwy CC, along the west side of the Chippewa River. Look for Ice Age Trail parking area signs and kiosk.

All images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters