Originally printed September 5, 2017.
I caught a break on Sunday, the weather cooperated, and Jane was willing to shuttle me. As a result, I was able to get in an additional 9.5 miles on the Ice Age Trail. I had previously mentioned the possibility of doing a hike in a conversation with Jane, but I didn’t think anything was locked in place. As a result, I was surprised on Saturday when Jane asked me when I would like to get started. Go on a hike? Sure!
Sunday dawned sunny and in the high 60s. After breakfast, we made the drive to the Madison area. The plan was to hike a 2.9 mile connecting route between the Montrose and Verona segments, and the 6.6 mile Verona Segment itself. The starting point was a small parking lot at the north end of the Montrose Segment. It was packed to capacity with cars with bike racks. The Badger State Trail crosses Purcell Road at this point, making this lot a major hub on weekends. I got the distinct impression that this lot could use a portable toilet when I observed a bicyclist drop trowel and urinate in some bushes, blithely unaware of a woman getting her bike off her car rack no more than 15 feet away.
Shortly after noon, I gave Jane a quick smooch goodbye and got started. Except for the last mile on Dane County Highway PB, this connecting route was a quiet, pleasant walk. Sunset Drive, the longest stretch, was particularly nice. Most of it was in the shade, and I had beautiful views of nice homes and farms on either side of me. After an hour, I entered Prairie Moraine Park and started the Verona Segment.
According to the Ice Age Trail Alliance Guide, the Verona Segment “makes good use of three county parks.” Too me, it is a good example of a suburban residential area coexisting with green space. In that way, it reminded me a lot of the West Bend Segment in Washington County.
I hiked the southern portion of the trail first, starting at Prairie Moraine Park. The trail ascended the slope of a moraine through prairie vegetation. My trail was the result of someone on a riding mower cutting down some of the plants and grass to make a path. Once the top of the hill,I began hiking through what the guidebook called a restored prairie and savanna. Periodically, the open country was broken by stands of trees giving me some welcome shade. After the previous two hikes through humid marshland, this was a welcome break. While hiking in this section, I came upon a pen of 6-12 goats that someone had erected in the woods. Why this pen was here struck me as odd. It wasn’t as if I could connect it as part of a larger piece of property. It just was plopped in this wooded area. Strange. Stranger still, somehow the pen’s gate was opened, and a couple of goats were loose in the woods. I would have alerted the owners, but it was impossible for me to know where the owners were.
Along the way, I walked through a restored prairie planting in the Moraine Kettles Preserve, which was just northwest of Prairie Moraine Park. According to some signage along the trail, The Moraine Kettle Preserve area is owned and managed by the IATA. The actual restoration was a three step process that began in 2014 when farming was stopped on the open fields so that they could be planted in “tall grass native prairie species.” This was accomplished with the help of a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2015 was a year of “sleep”, with the seeds establishing roots. Little activity could be viewed above the surface, except for weeds. In 2016, a few flowers began to appear and “creep” with small versions of the ultimate plants. 2017 was termed the year of “leap”, with many of the prairie seeds becoming established and “leaping” into view. Three steps – sleep, creep and leap. Going forward, the plan is to allow the prairie to reassert itself and – with the help of “prescribed” fires – turn back into a natural appearing prairie restoration. In my opinion, part of the maintenance process will also involve removal of invasive species of plants so the natural prairie plants can thrive.
The second third of the trail went through Badger Prairie County Park. Three dominant images come to mind as I think about this. First, a chunk of the trail ran parallel to Badger Mill Creek, and the trail got pretty soft and soupy in spots. I had to pick my steps carefully to avoid slipping and falling. Second, there were three spots where I had to climb over or duck under downed trees blocking the trail. One downed tree, in particular, was quite large(see the picture above). It would have been impossible to pass, except a sizable chunk of the tree was cut out of its trunk and rested in front of it like a great footstool. I climbed onto this piece, and then swung my leg high over the tree in order to climb over it and haul myself to the other side.
Not long after this, I emerged from the woods into a more open section of the park. I walked past some athletic fields and crossed under Highways 151/18 via a newly constructed tunnel to the northern portion of Badger Prairie County Park. This was much more open country than the section bordering the creek, and it was more hilly. The trail here was much like a walk through any of the Milwaukee County Parks. Sometimes I was on paved paths. At other times my path was the result of tall, grassy areas being mowed close to the ground. Before crossing Cross Country Road to end the second third of this segment, I climbed a good sized hill. At the top of it, I had a good view of Reddan Soccer Park’s fields and the Ice Age Junction Area to the north of me.
At this point, it would be good to mention that this middle section of trail has lots of access to fresh water and restrooms and restaurants. If you are new to hiking, this might be a good place to make your start.
I was now in the last section of the trail, the Ice Age Junction Area, an open space managed by the Dane County Parks Department. According to the IATA Guide, it “visually and physically separates Verona from the City of Madison. For the most part, it was open prairie, and it was a riot of colors – deep, lush greens from the grasses and trees, purples, pinks and yellows from the various wildflowers along the way, and that wonderful burned red from the Sumac as it began to prepare for the autumn months. The trail had one more surprise for me. Unknown to me, the north boundary of this trail, McKee Road, was under construction. As a result, the trail detoured to the east between a quarter to a half mile. Jane was waiting.
With only an apple and a handful of almonds to eat while on the trail for nearly four miles, I was really in the market for a sandwich, so Jane drove me back to where she had been spending her time while I was hiking. One of the great names for a restaurant – The Sow’s Ear! What a perfect combination for her. This was a combination coffee shop and knitting store. We each enjoyed the sandwiches we ordered and then started for home.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 