Mascoutin Valley State Trail

Horicon Marsh is located about an hour north of Milwaukee. The wildlife refuge features several trails ranging from a quarter mile up to nearly 3 miles long. Terrain can vary slightly, but most of the land, especially around the wetlands, is flat. The marsh features an abundance of wildlife. Hundreds of species of birds visit the marsh throughout the year, offering many opportunities for bird w...

Inside of High Cliff State Park, Lime Kiln Trail is a unique spot right off the shores of Lake Winnebago. The trail extends 1.7 miles, but has a early cutoff to shorten the hike if desired. In the winter, the trail is not marked well, but hikers can follow the tracks to continue on the loop.The trail also runs next to the old kiln lines of the Western Lime and Cement Company that operated for o...

High Cliff State Park has some great hiking and cool spots throughout the park, but something that isn't on the map is located right next to the Observatory Tower atop of the bluffs. From the main parking lot area, left of the observatory tower, there is an old stone entrance behind a wooden fence. Climbing around the fence, explorers can walk down the stone steps and loop around the bluffs bel...

Located southwest of Plymouth, WI, the Parnell Observation Tower is located just west of the intersection of Cty Road A and Cty Road U. At the trail-head, the parking lot has a restroom facility, drinking water, and a picnic area.The start of the trail has well established wooden steps along the entire walk to the base of the tower. On your left, there is an alternative route to begin the Parne...

The Milwaukee River Trailhead for the Ice Age Trail (IAT) is located on WI-28, east of the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. Before the hike, make sure to pack water, or hike off-trail to the New Fane trailhead (1.1 mile round trip, we got caught doing this) for an early water source on the trail. The Kettle Moraine State Forest had been shaped and sculpted by glacier thousands of years ago, leaving...

At 1350 feet, Powder Hill is the second highest point in southeastern Wisconsin. You can start the hike to Powder Hill from the Nature Trail parking lot (0.5 miles) or from the beach/picnic area parking lot (1.1 miles). There is an observation tower near the top of the peak that provides a panoramic view.Arrive about 1.5 hours before sunset to start this hike. It's a quick mile up and once t...