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The Blue Spring Lake Segment is a hilly and densely forested section of the Ice Age National Trail. The section begins at Oak Opening hardwood forest and continues on through the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. You'll pass by many bike riding and horseback bridle trails including the difficult and popular Emma Carlin Trails.
Though this section lacks major mountaineering climbs and elevations it rolls along up and down and is a good workout for hikers and trail runners. This trail requires moderate skill and fitness levels. To date, this is my favorite section of the IAT that I have hiked.
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| Ice Age National Trail - Blue Spring Lake Segment |
Most of the sections of the IAT that I have thus far hiked have been mostly disappointing in the choice of the route and line of the path. The Blue Spring Lake Section is courageously defiant. The trail twists and turns, runs down hills, presents steep climbs, and otherwise is fearless in its design.
The walk is through dense hardwood forest. The early summer air is so thick that you could drink it down in gulps. Beneath the shade of layers of forest there is little room for vista viewpoints save for Bald Bluff near the beginning of the trail in Oak Opening State Natural Area. Bald Bluff was once a gathering site used for Native American ceremonies. Further down the trail you may find an erratic granite rock known as Stone Elephant. I spent some time trying to make-out the shape of an elephant from this rock feature and was only able to see it as a small boulder.
The trail calms down and levels out after passing through the Horserider's campground. If you are thru-hiking you will find water stations at the Horserider's campground and at the Emma Carlin Trails parking lot.
The deep oak forest and winding trail make this section one that will hook you on hiking if it is the first section of the IAT that you walk.
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| Oak Opening on the Ice Age Trail Blue Spring Lake Segment |
Overview: Ice Age National Scenic Trial - Blue Spring Lake Segment
COUNTYJEFFERSON COUNTY
COMMUNITIES
PALMYRA
TOTAL MILES
6.5-MILE POINT-TO-POINT
DIFFICULTY
DIFFICULT
LOWEST ELEVATION
840 AMSL
HIGHEST ELEVATION
1040 AMSL
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN
1150 FT
TOTAL ELEVATION LOST
-1220 FT
CAMPING
Horserider's Campground
POINTS OF INTEREST
Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit, Oak Opening State Natural Area, Bald Bluff
NEXT IAT SEGMENT EASTBOUND
STONY RIDGE SEGMENT
NEXT IAT SEGMENT WESTBOUND
BLACKHAWK SEGMENT
Directions and Trail Map
DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF USGS TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPALMYRA QUADRANGLE
Click Map Image to load the full interactive map.
If viewing on a mobile device, open the trail map above to load into Google Maps App by touching the expand rectangle in the upper right corner
Address for your GPS: W1498 Young Rd, Palmyra, WI 53156
| coordinates: 42.842739, -88.606334 |
| From Milwaukee | 1 Hour |
| From Madison | 1 Hour |
| From Green Bay | 2.5 Hours |
| From Wausau | 3 Hours |
| From Minneapolis | 5 Hours |
| From Chicago | 2 Hours |
Photos
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| Ice Age National Trail - Blue Spring Lake Segment |
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| Ice Age National Trail - Blue Spring Lake Segment |
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| Ice Age National Trail - Blue Spring Lake Segment |
Links
Ice Age National Trail Alliance
Ice Age National Trail - National Parks Service
Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit
Horserider's Campground
Emma Carlin Trail