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| The Ice Age Trail passes Jerry Lake near Medford, Wis. |
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| Ice Age Trail - Jerry Lake segment topo map. Click map for larger version. |
The 6-miles round trip segment from Jerry Lake to the South Fork of the Yellow River 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 trailhead, from Medford take Wis. Hwy. 13 north. Turn left/west onto County Road M then right/north onto Sailor Creek Road/Forest Road 571. A small parking lot is in 0.7 miles.
Take the Ice Age Trail north. Going south takes you to Lake Eleven, which is about five miles away.
In short order, you’ll arrive at picturesque Jerry Lake. The 26-acre lake reaches a depth of 30 feet. Largemouth bass, northern pike, and panfish all thrive there.
At 0.1 miles, the trail junctions a connector that goes southeast to FR 571. Continue straight/north along Jerry Lake’s eastern shore.
Hemlocks
The trail passes a campsite with pit toilet and a steel fire grate on the northeastern shore of Jerry Lake at 0.2 miles. Two other primitive/rustic campsites are ahead at the South Fork of the Yellow River and at Sailor Creek, though the latter is a bit buggy, as it’s near a bog.
A marsh next appears. This used to be part of the lake, which is receding.
The trail continues into a hardwood forest and a young hemlock grove. preferring moist but well-drained soil, the hemlock looks a lot like a child’s drawing of a Christmas tree. It can grow up to 7 stories high and reach 35 feet in width.
At 1.6 miles, the trail crosses Hay Meadow Road/Forest Road 572, which heads west to Forest Road 112 and east to Forest Road 571. Continue straight/north.
Overlook
Next the trails descend a low ridge with a hemlock grove. The trail then passes through a good mix of tall pines and deciduous trees with a fair amount of birch. Be sure to look up - sometimes porcupines climb trees and are hiding in plain sight right above you on a birch trunk.
As the trail picks up elevation, you’ll reach an overlook that provides a great panorama of the forest.
The trail then descends toward the South Fork of the Yellow River, which appears at 3 miles in. A 67-foot heavy timber bridge spans the wide waterway. Bald eagles fly overhead, and otters swim about in the shallow waters. The river is a good spot to refill your canteen, but always be sure to filter it first.
It also marks a good spot to turn back for a 6-mile round trip hike.
Continuing on
If have some more energy, you can continue north. You’ll first pass the aforementioned primitive campsite, which sits on the ridge overlooking the river.
Next the route crosses Forest Road 576 twice, as both the trail and the road curve away and then toward one another.
At 5.6 miles, a small bridge crosses Sailor Creek, a clear, running stream. You can turn back here for a 11.2-miles round trip hike or you can camp here for the night. The camp is situated in a hemlock grove with a stone fire ring.
The trail can get quite muddy in spots after a thunderstorm, so be sure to wait a couple of days for the ground to dry out before attempting a hike.
