Chippewa County Corridor Plan

Ice Age National Scenic Trail » Chippewa County Corridor Plan » Document List

The Ice Age Trail was authorized as a National Scenic Trail by Congress in 1980 and a State Scenic Trail in 1987. When completed, the trail will meander over 1,200 miles through some of the finest glacial scenery in Wisconsin providing day walkers, backpackers, school children, and general outdoor enthusiasts with a premier hiking and educational experience. Today, approximately 700-miles of the trail is built.

The National Park Service, together with our partners at the The National Park Service (NPS) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Ice Age Trail Alliance have worked together to develop a plan to complete the trail through Chippewa County.

The purpose of the proposed action is to establish a defined corridor averaging 2-5 miles wide within which the trail can be developed in order to link potential support facilities for hikers such as trailheads, water, parking, camping, groceries, and phones at such places as the City of Cornell, Otter Lake County Park, and Pike Lake. The preferred alternative would allow an additional 22-25 miles of Ice Age Trail to be constructed from the City of Cornell to the Taylor County line. The intention is to acquire an approximate 50-1,000 foot wide trailway from willing landowners for the Ice Age NST. In some areas, more land may be desired to preserve outstanding resource features or to accommodate the wishes of the landowner. This width of trail way provides for a high-quality hiking experience for the public while maintaining a buffer for neighboring landowners.

At this time, we are seeking public input on the proposed plan for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail (Ice Age NST) corridor in eastern Chippewa County, Wisconsin. The Corridor Plan and Environmental Assessment for Eastern Chippewa County will be available for public review for 30 days from June 18 to July 18, 2021.

Contact Information

Mary Tano, Trail Planner
8075 Old Sauk Pass Road
Cross Plains, Wi 53528
608-798-8681