Ice Age Trail becomes part of the National Parks Service, opening the door to more resources

MADISON - Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail is now a part of the National Park System, a change that will allow for more resources as organizers push to complete it.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and National Park Service Director Chuck Sams announced the change, heralding the 1,200-mile-long trail that traverses some of Wisconsin's best natural features, from St. Croix to Janesville and back up to Door County.

"The Ice Age trail also tells an important story about the history of Wisconsin and the abundant natural resources that have shaped our great state," Baldwin said. "Literally running through the great north woods, over rolling hills and prairies, past inland lakes and waters, and finally winding up along Lake Michigan. This trail showcases some of the best that our state has to offer. "

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The Ice Age, New England and North Country National Scenic Trails were all folded into the parks system, meaning each will remain part of the national scenic trail system but with more access to funding and other resources the system provides, such as official trail maps and brochures designed by the service.

"The Ice Age, New England and North Country national state trails present tremendous opportunities for close-to-home recreation through the 10 states and countless communities they pass," Sams said.

Baldwin also highlighted the potential tourism benefits the designation could bring to the state.

The Ice Age Trail was started in the 1950s and is still under construction, with the Ice Age Alliance purchasing land along the trail's winding path to fully connect it. It runs through both rural and urban areas, along the natural features created by glaciers during the last Ice Age.

The North Country Trail is about 4,800 miles long and cuts through North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Vermont. It includes historic sites that show how America was settled and grew, along with the shores of lakes and streams created by glaciers, according to the National Park Service site. The Wisconsin portion largely hugs the shores of Lake Superior.

"The granting of unit status is small in the grand scheme of the National Park Service but momentous for the Ice Age, North Country and New England national scenic trails," said Luke Kloberdanz, CEO of the Ice Age Trail Alliance. "Unit status recognizes the decade's worth of work by thousands of people to create and maintain these trails, which are recreational outlets for millions of people across the United States."

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The push to add the Ice Age and North Country trails to the National Park roster has been a bipartisan movement, according to a press release from U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Madison, and Glenn Grothman, a Republican from Glenbeulah.

“As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I am proud to be from a state with such a beautiful natural environment,” Grothman said. “I am happy to support this bipartisan effort to ensure the Ice Age Trail has the opportunity to participate as a unit of the National Park System.”

Pocan lauded the volunteers who put hundreds of thousands of hours into creating and maintaining the trail each year, and said he was looking forward to enjoying the trails for years to come.

"This new status levels the playing field among other National Parks, giving them more resources to maintain their natural beauty," Pocan said. "These trails are invaluable resources that provide communities like mine with unique outdoor experiences and economic opportunities."

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on X at @SchulteLaura.