Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Whitewater Lake
Boardwalks, quiet pine woods, rocky paths, and close-up discoveries along a rolling woodland trail.
Woodland walks · Flowers · Small wildlife
Explore Whitewater Lake →
Places to Explore / Wisconsin
A trail told one segment at a time
Follow Wisconsin’s glacial story—and discover the flowers, wildlife, and woodland paths along the way.
My walks cover selected segments in southeastern Wisconsin. This growing collection brings together the places I’ve photographed, with each segment getting its own story and gallery.
A personal photo journal of the trail, one nearby walk at a time. — Brian
One trail. A statewide story.
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail winds entirely within Wisconsin. Its roughly 1,200-mile route traces the edge of the last continental glacier, connecting forests, prairies, wetlands, and hills shaped by ice.
It stretches between Interstate State Park on Wisconsin’s western border and Potawatomi State Park near Lake Michigan. You can experience a small piece on an afternoon walk—there is no need to hike the entire trail to appreciate what it reveals.
My southeastern Wisconsin walks
Explore the segments below through my photographs. These six segments bring together the Ice Age Trail places I’ve explored so far.
Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Boardwalks, quiet pine woods, rocky paths, and close-up discoveries along a rolling woodland trail.
Woodland walks · Flowers · Small wildlife
Explore Whitewater Lake →
Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Explore flower-filled prairie and woodland edges, with Canada Milkvetch, blazing stars, frogs, and a Yellow Warbler along the way.
Prairie paths · Wildflowers · Wildlife
Explore Stony Ridge →
Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Follow woodland paths among pines, Ghost Plant flowers, mushrooms, and tiny wildlife—and learn how the local loop trails connect.
Woodland paths · Forest-floor discoveries
Explore Scuppernong →
Kettle Moraine · Northern Unit
Wander beneath fresh green leaves and look closely at Wood Betony, a tanager, and a Black Swallowtail.
Woodland paths · Wildflowers · Small discoveries
Explore Milwaukee River →
Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Explore flower-filled prairie, winding boardwalks, and the shaded dolomite ledges of Brady’s Rocks.
Brady’s Rocks · Prairie flowers · Birds & wildlife
Explore Eagle →
Kettle Moraine · Southern Unit
Follow shaded woodland paths, look closely at native orchids, and meet tiny frogs resting on leaves.
Trail views · Wildflowers · Small wildlife
Explore Blue Spring Lake →A few things to notice
Shaped by ice
In southeastern Wisconsin, ridges formed between two enormous lobes of glacial ice. Depressions left by melting ice blocks are scattered among them—the landscape that gave the Kettle Moraine its name.
Follow the yellow
Yellow blazes mark the main Ice Age Trail. Watch for them on trees and posts; they connect a short woodland walk to the much larger route across Wisconsin.
A trail built by people
Ray Zillmer helped inspire a park following Wisconsin’s glacial landscape. The Ice Age Trail became a National Scenic Trail in 1980, and partners and volunteers continue to build and care for it.
Before your next walk
Use the Ice Age Trail Alliance’s map for access points, route details, and connecting roads. Check current alerts and the rules of the land you’ll be visiting. My photographs show past visits; they aren’t a navigation guide.
Beyond the larger landscape, each segment has its own smaller discoveries: a flower under the trees, a frog on a leaf, or a bird beside the path. Those encounters are at the heart of these pages.
Stay on marked routes and enjoy plants and wildlife where you find them.
Learn more: National Park Service — trail history and markers · Ice Age Trail Alliance — landscape and geology.
Photographs by Brian Woolman / Where’s Wildlife.
Official visitor informationBack to Places to Explore