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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsThe Longest Trail You've Never Heard Of
SourceTake the Ice Age Trail, for example. Named because it once laid under a huge glacier more than 15,000 years ago. Despite its misleading name, its not a path that carves over the glacial terrain of Alaska. Its nearly 1,200 miles fall entirely within the state of Wisconsin, tracing a route from Potawatomi State Park to Interstate State Park. You traverse through some of the states most pristine wildernessthink azure lakes, fertile river valleys, gently rolling hills, and dramatic ridgelines. Designated as a National Scenic Trail in 1980, the route consistently ranks as one of the countrys best thru-hikes by smart publications and in-the-know backpackers because the trail showcases how much of North America was shaped from the Ice Age to modern day.
As with any trail that boasts a distance of more than 1,000 miles, there are loads of trailheads, which makes it easy to slice out a few day and weekend-long trips. But it also makes it hard to decide which parts of the trail to explore.
Thankfully, the Ice Age Trail Alliance makes it easy with an interactive trail map that breaks out this massive trail by interest (camping and backpacking, section- and thru-hiking). It also posts trail condition info, offers advice on how to manage leave-no-trace outings, and surfaces a cache of recommended hikes broken into day and multi-day excursions. Better still, each recommendation comes with a free download on the applicable section from their Ice Age Trail Guide.
And for those who arent up to roughing it for multiple days on the trail, the alliance also has a list of B&Bs and hotels that are close to the trail, run by owners who are considered hiker-friendly. Finally, a place where muddy boots are met with open arms.
dhill926
(16,337 posts)thanks! Lived in Wisc. for quite a while and never heard of it. Looks fantastic...
A HERETIC I AM
(24,365 posts)Elkhart Lake and Road America Race circuit are nestled there, north of Milwaukee
Yavin4
(35,437 posts)It's just certain people that make it ugly.
A HERETIC I AM
(24,365 posts)Or Switzerland
There is beautiful landscape in every country. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,972 posts)franz Bieberstein. i was able to buy 12 of his plein air studies. i like his impressionistic studies more than his traditional oils. covered w/ charcoal dust. but i could see they were good. then i cleaned them. BLUE! i see BLUE. Wi is much like the NON mountains of europe. GRAND can be overwhelming.
lastlib
(23,213 posts)nikto
(3,284 posts)The CCC was gone by 1942 (WWII drained its manpower and fund$).
But much of its work remains.
We should try to bring it back, bigtime, IMO.
Among its functions, it could build/refurbish/maintain trails like this all over America.
The CCC, re-formed for this era and connected-together with social media and modern high-tech
communications, could be awesome!
It could provide decent jobs (some shorter-term, some longer) for people all over the country,
and protect, maintain and upgrade our Nation's natural treasures for the the present AND future.
That's my view.
Excerpt:
"... the CCC was probably the most popular New Deal program..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_Conservation_Corps
Here's what remains of CCC work in, just in California ALONE ...
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24878
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Mendocino
(7,486 posts)I was in the YCC, Youth Conservation Corps. We worked on the Shawnee Backpack Trail in Ohio. I consider one of the best things I ever did in my life and very proud of the work we did.
nikto
(3,284 posts)We or at least 1% of us can easily afford it.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)handmade34
(22,756 posts)I don't think I will live long enough to walk on all of the trails I dream of hiking...
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