February, 2017 | Frequent Hiker

Ice Age National Scenic Trail – Eagle, WI

Just 24 minutes outside of Whitewater, in Eagle, WI, you can find the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. This is a leisurely trail that has some excellent views. This trail is one of 42 designated Wisconsin State trails. And is a trail that your whole family could enjoy.

These trails are named because of the glaciers that were located in the Kettle Moraine area. Some people say this is the best evidence of glaciers that you can witness in Wisconsin. This trail is no longer than 4 miles, but the entire Ice Age Scenic Trail, was established in 1980 and runs about 1,200 miles in total.

kms_700x295 — Ice Age National Scenic Trail

From my personal experience, I went with my family this past summer. This is a beautiful view that you can witness when out on the trail. If you come into the park from Highway 59 and go up to Highway Z its about a 3.1 mile hike. I would recommend doing this hike in the summer rather than the winter months because of the wildlife. The flowers and trees make for vibrant colors and great views. It would still be an excellent hike in the winter months but I’m all about getting the best view.

Outer Wear: Long Sleeve, Shorts, Running Shoes

Music: Clouds Never Get Old – Bas

Lake Andrea – Pleasant Prairie, WI

About an hour away from Whitewater, WI there lies a town called Pleasant Prairie. Its a big town made up of about 20 thousand people but it also includes small town vibes and some really neat places to visit.

One of these places is Lake Andrea, this lake is about 2 and a half miles to walk around with great sites all the way around. Along with a great walk/hike it also features kayaking, fishing, volleyball nets, and a beach. I enjoy going to this lake and walking because it has a paved path which is nice when your looking for just a relaxing walk instead of something strenuous.

Lake Andrea is definitely worth the trip, you can walk or run with friends or family and you can really get a great experience out of this. I went on 2/19/17 with my family. Wisconsin doesn’t usually get warm weather like what we’ve been having recently so we all decided to take advantage of it. Hopefully you do too!

Outer Wear: Short sleeve, shorts, running shoes

Music: Becoming – Milky Chance

Shenandoah State Park – Virginia

Shenandoah State Park is near the East Coast, in Virginia. I took a trip last spring break with a few of my friends to do some hiking and camping. It was a blast! I would definitely recommend taking a trip out to see Virginia. The mountains are beautiful and the trails are great.

The first thing we did when we got there was go into town to buy groceries, it was colder than we had expected so we needed to get some extra blankets also. We talked to a few of the locals and told them we were camping in the National Park and asked for any tips. We had 4 different people tell us that there had been a few bear attacks in the last year up in the mountains and thats when we started to worry.

We decided that we weren’t going to let ruin the trip and went hiking anyway, fortunately we didn’t run into any bears and ended up having a really excellent time, we ended up going hiking high up in the mountains as well as a little lower down. You don’t really realize how much the elevation can cut off your oxygen levels until you get up into the peaks of these mountains. It was an amazing experience.

Outer Wear: Jeans, Columbia Jacket, Boots

Music: Lamborghini Tears – Marc Goone

Bluff Creek Trail – Whitewater Town

A small town just off of highway 12 offers a very unique hiking experience. Bluff Creek trail is on highway P just outside of Whitewater. It is just outside of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, but its also the only completely free trail to hike. You get some really nice views of the Bluff Creek and also some great views of the farm fields around Whitewater. This trail is very mild hiking no big hills or mountains, just a straight walk good for anyone looking to get outside.

Bluff Creek trail is named because of this creek that is located on the trail. When you are on the trail it meets up with the creek about a mile in. After you meet up with the creek you basically just follow the flow of the water down to a random stopping place. They are doing some construction on the trail right now, and I’m hoping they are expanding to make this trail a little more accessible.

Outer Wear: Flannel, Jeans, Boots.

Music: Sleep on the Floor – The Lumineers

What to Wear

Guys:

Can’t go wrong with a flannel, but again this depends on where you are hiking. Wear layers if you will be in a low temperature zone or going high into the mountains. I personally like to dress nice for most of my hikes wearing something rugged that looks good, REI, Columbia and North Face have great options for outdoor clothes. In the summer be sure to keep those boots on and not switch out for running shoes to avoid injury.

Girls:

Obviously I’m a guy so my advise on what girls should wear may not mean anything to you but here are some things I would recommend. North Face boots and jeans with a thick green jacket is a good look. REI, and Columbia also have really nice outerwear. Something warm is key for the winter but in the summer you can definitely dress lighter but don’t switch out your hiking boots for running shoes, there is a huge difference, and boots are going to be much more beneficial.