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| The Ice Age Trail runs through a vast forest in northcentral Wisconsin. |
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| Ice Age National Scenic Trail - Chippewa Lobe segment topo map. Click map for larger version. |
The 7.8-miles round trip segment from Mondeaux Avenue to Forest Road 108 sits in the Chequamegon National Forest. The Ice Age Trail marks the edge of the glacial advance when ice sheets were last in these parts, about 8000 BCE. The trail stretches more than 1100 miles long across the state and largely cuts northeast-southwest through Taylor County.
To reach the segment’s trailhead, from Medford take Wis. Hwy. 13 north. Turn left/west onto county Road M then right/north onto County Road E/Mondeaux Drive/Forest Road 107. Next, go left/west onto the gravel Mondeaux Drive/Forest Road 102. After crossing the North Fork Yellow River, watch for a small parking area. The trailhead is just west of it.
Hardwood forest
A dirt trail heads west into the wilderness. At 0.5 miles is a small pond. Past the waterbody, the path enters a hardwood forest.
One end of the Chippewa Lobe Loop Trail, a side trail south of the main route, appears at 1.4 miles. Continue straight-right/southwest
This takes you through a stretch of birch and pine.
At 1.9 miles, the IAT crosses the White Birch Trail, a grassy spur trail that goes north to Forest Road 102 and south to the Chippewa Lobe Trail. Continue straight/west
Next the trail heads through an open hardwood forest. Be aware that in spring after a winter of heavy snowfall or following a lot of rain, the trail here can be underwater.
Sandhill cranes
At 3.1 miles is the other end of Chippewa Lobe Loop side trail. If looking for a campsite, there’s a nice primitive one about 0.1 miles south on the loop. It sits on high, dry ground, offers a benches and a stone fire ring, and there’s a short spur leading to a small bog lake where you can get water. Presuming you’re not staying overnight, continue straight-right/southwest.
A wetland appears on the south side of the trail. Keep an eye out for sandhill cranes in the marshes during migration seasons and look for an impressive display of orchids in the wetlands’ northwest corner each June.
Sandhill cranes are easy to pick out when they stop over on their migration. Tall and graceful, the slate gray bird has a long neck, legs and wingspan. Their wings can stretch up to 2.2 yards across from tip to tip.
The IAT next crosses Lake 19 Road/Forest Road 108 at 3.9 miles. FR 108 goes north to FR 102 while south heads to Lake Nineteen. This is a good spot to turn back.
A few more miles
If you have some extra energy, continue straight/southwest. The trail zigzags north then northwest, rising into an upland forest and heads through a birch stand. A boardwalk along the way crosses a small, unnamed stream.
Look for a large boulder. Next to it is the entry to a primitive campsite that sits under a hemlock canopy.
From there, the trail ascends to the top of Hemlock Esker and stays on it for about a mile. The esker rises about 80 feet above the surrounding forest. This is part of Lost Lake Esker State Natural Area. A bench and signature register is at the ridge’s highest point.
Past that, the trail drops off the esker and turns southwest.
At 6.9 miles, the trail crosses Forest Road 571. North goes to Forest Road 111 and south to Jerry Lake. The forest road marks a good place to turn around for a 13.8-mile round trip.
