Ice Age Trail — Whitewater Segment
- Distance: 4.8 miles point-to-point
- Surface: Singletrack dirt, rolling glacial terrain
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Whitewater Lake Recreation Area, Kettle Moraine State Forest, WI
About this route
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile footpath following the terminal moraine of the last glaciation across Wisconsin. The Whitewater Segment is a 4.8-mile point-to-point piece running through Kettle Moraine State Forest — Southern Unit, near the Whitewater Lake Recreation Area. Singletrack dirt, rolling glacial terrain — kettles, moraines, the same landform features the trail is named for.
Logistics
Because it’s point-to-point, you have three options:
| Option | How |
|---|---|
| Out-and-back | Park at one end, run to the other, turn around. Doubles to ~9.6 miles. |
| Two-car shuttle | Drop a car at the end, drive the second car to the start. |
| Loop with linking trails | Combine the Ice Age Trail segment with a section of the KMSF trail system to create a 6–8 mile loop. |
What to know before you go
- State park sticker required — Wisconsin DNR.
- The trail is blazed with yellow rectangles (Ice Age Trail standard).
- Cell signal is unreliable — tell someone your route.
- The Walworth/Jefferson County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance offers organized outings on Tuesdays at 4 PM (2.8 mi) and Wednesdays at 10:30 AM (3.5 or 5 mi). Free to join.
- Mosquitoes and ticks are aggressive May–early July. Long sleeves and DEET recommended.
Why we run here
The Ice Age Trail is a national-scenic-trail-quality run within a 20-minute drive of Whitewater. Different feel than the Nordic or Emma Carlin loops — point-to-point trail running is its own thing, and the Ice Age Trail does it well. The 4.8-mile distance fits cleanly between an easy run and a long run for most adult members.
Source: Ice Age Trail Alliance, Wisconsin DNR. The Walworth/Jefferson Chapter’s organized outings are documented on the Ice Age Trail Alliance website.