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Ice Age Trail Panorama

The Ice Age Trail – Waterville Segment to be improved!

August 3, 2020  |  Topics: Issues


Ice Age Trail Alliance – Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter

With photographs by Eddee Daniel

We hope that you enjoy exploring the Ice Age Trail in Waukesha county! Volunteers locally, as well as from around the state, work hard to maintain the high standards of a National Scenic Trail right here in southeast Wisconsin for all to enjoy. We now have a rare opportunity to “Close the Waterville Gap,” and invite you to join us!

Great Blue Lobelia
Great Blue Lobelia blossoms


This extraordinary chance in Waukesha County will enable us to permanently protect a parcel of land while moving a half mile of “connector route” onto an official Ice Age National Scenic Trail. If you are familiar with the Ice Age Trail you probably know that our beautiful off-road sections of the trail are linked in places by on-road connections. The Waterville Road Connector is one of the more dangerous road connectors in the state, and the infrastructure on the existing trail is dated.

The new off-road trail section would close the gap between the UW – Waukesha Field Station and the existing Waterville Segment, on a newly acquired IATA easement

We have initiated a campaign to raise funds that will enable us to improve the hiking experience in this segment with a new off-road trail and also to make significant improvements to nearly 800 feet of existing boardwalk.

A hiker on one of the boardwalks
A hiker on one of the boardwalks


The fundraising goal for this work is $60,000. A Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter member has kicked off this fundraising campaign with a generous donation and has challenged our hiking community to join them to meet the fundraising goal. Any amount that you, a friend, or family member can contribute will help us reach this goal and establish permanent protection!

A bee on Joe Pye Weed
A bee on flowering Joe Pye Weed


During these unique times of 2020, the Ice Age Trail has never closed. It has been a refuge for many seeking physical and mental health. There has never been a better time to come together and conserve this vital Wisconsin resource. This opportunity will enable us to raise the Waterville Segment up to our high standards and meet the mission of creating, supporting, and protecting the 1200-mile footpath known as the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

Red-spotted Purple butterfly
Red-spotted Purple butterfly


Donating is easy! You can support the project today by going to our website. Or you can mail your support to the Alliance office at the address below and noting “Waterville” on your contribution. Remember all donations are tax-deductible! We would appreciate your response by Sept 1, 2020 in order to secure this transaction and permanently protect an off-road trail extension.

Mailing address:

Ice Age Trail Alliance

PO Box 128

Cross Plains, WI 53528

Shelf fungus on a dead trunk
Shelf fungus on a dead trunk


Thank-you for your financial support towards this rare opportunity to “Close the Waterville Gap” and enabling the Ice Age Trail Alliance to continue its efforts to protect and build a world class trail right here in Wisconsin!

Heal All blossoms
Heal All blossoms
Fleabane Daisies in a meadow
Fleabane Daisies in a meadow
Unripened elderberries
Unripened elderberries
Canopy
Canopy
Soapwort blossoms
Soapwort blossoms
Beautiful but dangerous! Wild Parsnip
Beautiful but dangerous! Wild Parsnip
Another nettlesome plant–Stinging Nettle
mushrooms
Sometimes you just have to get down to ground level!
Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly on clover
Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly on clover
A woodland section of the trail
A woodland section of the trail

To donate online, click here.

For more information go to Ice Age Trail Alliance.

Text provided by the Ice Age Trail Alliance – Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter.

Note: The photos were all taken in the past week along the existing Waterville Segment of the IAT. Eddee Daniel is on the board of Preserve Our Parks.