Originally printed September 5, 2016
Stunned and grateful.That was my reaction when Jane offered to shuttle me to the Elkhart Lake area on Sunday for a hike.
Because my hikes are happening further away from home, I’m getting more and more reluctant to ask Jane to schlep me to Nowhere, WI and wait around while I tromp through the woods. It is one thing to use a larger town – say, Green Bay – as a base of operations. While I’m hiking, Jane could pick any number of places to visit. Or, we could make a mini-holiday of it. Hike on day#1, then spend that evening at a B&B. Hike a second day, return to the B&B, shower, have a nice meal, crash, and drive home the third day. But, the next hike was from just outside of Glenbeulah to north of Elkhart Lake. So, I was very surprised and thankful when Jane offered to make the trip. Add this to the list of reasons I love her so.
After locating and marking the end point on her GPS, Jane dropped me off at the starting point. Sunday’s route was somewhat truncated. For openers, I would hike a 4.4 Connecting Route from Glenbeulah to the south edge of Elkhart Lake. Then I would jump on the LaBudde Creek Ice Age Trail Segment for about a mile, take another Connecting Route east and north for 0.8 miles, and finish the trail proper for the last roughly mile and change; 7.9 miles in total. The trail was rated a 3 for hilliness, a welcome relief after my recent string of roller coaster hikes.
The people who lay out the Ice Age Trail try as best as possible to make the Connecting Routes pleasant, safe walks, usually putting the hiker on two lane county roads. All that being said, there is a certain sameness about them. Usually, they are rural, flat, and devoid of trees. I do my best to get through them as quickly as possible so I can get to the fun stuff on the actual trails. This Connecting Route was certainly rural, flat and open to the sun a good portion of the way. But, it was also a history lesson.
I certainly have heard of the Elkhart Lake race track. My older brother went there to watch races when he lived in Wisconsin, and I’ve often seen race coverage on the local sports. However, what I didn’t know was that before the track was designed and built, races were held on the streets around and in the town of Elkhart Lake during the years 1950-52. Two circuits existed: a 3.3 mile route used in 1950 and a 6.5 mile route used in 1951-2. These roads are now registered in the National Register of Historic Places. Markers have been placed along the route with names given to sections of the route, such as Schoolhouse Straight, or corners named for famous drivers or supporters during that time, such as Wacker’s Wend, named after a Fred G. Wacker, Jr., who drove a Healey Silverstone to a second place finish in the 1950 60 mile main event. I had fun reading these signs as I made my way into the southern edge of town. Before I got too far into town, the Connecting Route jogged to the southeast past the Quit Qui Oc Golf Club. Here was some welcome shade before I crossed Highway 67 and entered the LaBudde Creek Segment itself.
This trail takes its name from the LaBudde Creek State Fishery Area. According to the Wisconsin DNR, LaBudde Creek is one of only three streams in Sheboygan County where significant amounts of naturally reproduced trout are found. I actually did not see much of the creek myself. What I did see was a lot of lowland and wetland country for the first mile or so. Near the end of this section, I hiked into a forest containing pine, birch, cedar and some maple trees. What struck me most about this area were the pines. For most of my Ice Age Trail hikes, the pines were clearly planted by man in rows, most likely as either wind breaks or as parts of tree farms. Here, the pines seemed to be placed randomly.
The trail was broken by a 0.8 mile Connecting Route along Badger Road and Little Elkhart Lake Road. I was SO glad I decided to hike from south to north this day because I was spared walking up a quarter mile+ extremely steep hill!
The last portion of trail resembled the first section – a lot of lowland/wetland shrubs, wildflowers and trees, plus a bit of mature forest. Midway through this section, Jane was waiting in a parking lot with the car. This was much safer for her than sitting on the shoulder of the county highway where this segment ends. She had spent the time at Kohler Design Center checking the latest in plumbing designs. Amazing the computerized function that can be programmed into a toilet! Fifteen minutes later she picked me up at the trail’s end, and we drove into Elkhart Lake for some lunch.
I greatly enjoyed my hike. After roller coaster hikes through deep woods and swatting skeeters, the change of scenery and terrain was welcome. I’d like to do this section after the racing season is done, as I think I’d see all kinds of birds and critters along the trail. Elkhart Lake is a pretty town, although it is certainly wasn’t the place to be for peace and quiet that day.
And, the history lesson wasn’t bad, either.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 