 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
It is an inspiring hike from beginning to end and a gem on the overall IAT. Several small hill climbs, rock hops across the Plover River, and sticky muddy areas in wetland make this trail of moderate difficulty. The photogenic meandering boardwalk north of Hwy 52 is an easy section of hiking that is popular with families.
advertisement
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
Open hilly prairies lead off the Plover River Segment from the southern trailhead. But, before long hikers are shaded beneath the tall canopy of a hardwood forest. This magnificent forest was my favorite part of the trail. Trilliums decorated the soft grassy forest floor lending a fairyland mythological mystique to this woods.
North of the hardwoods a great grove of twisted and sacred cedars close in on the trail. The babbling Plover River sings its way through this cedar grove. A short and easy rock hop gets hikers across the river once and into a muddy wetland area. A timber bridge brings hikers back across the Plover.
Across Highway 52 the volunteer trail crew has been hard at work building extensive boardwalks through cedar swamps. The footpath is wide and grassy through woods the rest of the way.
This is a must-do hiking trail in Wisconsin and is easily paired with the nearby Eau Claire Dells Segment. An 11 mile out-and-back can be accomplished in 4 hours. Or the trail can be broken up into smaller sections for a family outing.
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
Overview: Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment
COUNTYMARATHON COUNTY
COMMUNITIES
ELMHURST, BIRNAWOOD
TOTAL MILES
5.5-MILE POINT-TO-POINT
DIFFICULTY
MODERATE-TO-DIFFICULT
LOWEST ELEVATION
1350 AMSL
HIGHEST ELEVATION
1600 AMSL
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN
1000 FT
TOTAL ELEVATION LOST
-880 FT
POINTS OF INTEREST
Plover River State Fishery Area, Plover River
NEXT IAT SEGMENT EASTBOUND
EAU CLAIRE DELLS SEGMENT
NEXT IAT SEGMENT WESTBOUND
KETTLEBOWL SEGMENT
Directions and Trail Map
DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF USGS TOPOGRAPHIC MAPANIWA QUADRANGLE
HOGERTY 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.
Nearest Address for your GPS: P4528 Sportsman Dr, Birnamwood, WI 54414
| coordinates: 45.001121, -89.263598 |
| From Milwaukee | 3 Hours |
| From Madison | 2.5 Hours |
| From Green Bay | 1.25 Hours |
| From Wausau | 30 Minutes |
| From Minneapolis | 3 Hours |
| From Chicago | 4.5 Hours |
Photos
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |
 |
| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Plover River Segment |