Ice Age Trail - Eastern Terminus to NOT VERY FAR!!!

[@erickastark1509]

Thanks for this! I've been wanting to hike this segment with my 13 year old and was concerned about the length between segments and you confirmed that for me! We may need to delay this trip a little longer and still practice on the shorter ones. Although I love the bike suggestion and have heard others doing that as well. Perhaps we should give that a shot this spring!

[@bionicdan1959]

Your video captured my biggest reason not to hike the IAT. Road-Walking. It’s hard to find a multiple day hike without having to pound the pavement. You would think that walking on a nice flat road would be easy but you shown that it takes a real toll on the feet and legs. Thanks for sharing this Jon!

[@jonallenoutside]

I think there are only a handful of people that even attempt a thru hike each year.

[@brianrathgeber7775]

Thanks Jon, as I enjoyed your video and learned some important nuggets. I really appreciate videos like this where things do not go perfectly. Glad you recovered quickly!

[@jonallenoutside]

Thank you!

[@cyclone8644]

Right now, trail angels in this segment are almost a necessity to transport to a place for an overnight, then transport back in the morning to connect the steps.

[@RambleRiv]

First off- fantastic video! I enjoyed your narration, and the scenery you captured was beautifully peaceful. Not only that, but you were also quite informative for those looking to hike the trail! As a fellow solo hiker, it was refreshing to see you also faced issues on the IAT. When I started to do section hikes to plan for a thru-hike I quickly realized it wouldn't be so simple. The amount of road-walking and campsite reservations I had to plan was overwhelming! Trying to reserve as I went was an utter failure. Booking ahead was even trickier! The road portions prove to be the toughest. With road construction popping up quite frequently I often had to figure out detours. This wouldn't be an issue if the detours didn't add miles to my route (don't want to cut thru private property after all) and made reaching reservations tricky. However, I will say that the walk was still beautiful! There's so much open farmland and interesting archetecture in the "city" portions that it remained enjoyable. The biggest takeaway for me was how incredibly friendly the locals are! Whenever I was on the trail, people were friendly and respectful. It wasn't uncommon for someone out on a day hike to tag along for conversation as I passed thru park systems. This was fantastic.... Until it came to road walking sections. People would offer me a ride like clockwork. Extremely nice of them, but after turning down 6 offers on a single stretch of road I started to miss the privacy of the nature sections. All in all the trail is beautiful but has a lot of factors those who are unfamiliar with it need to consider before setting out.

[@jonallenoutside]

Great commentary - thanks for sharing. I’m about to start some fall IAT hiking and my plan is to use my truck and bike so I can be self-sufficient and not have to rely on camping on the trail. I’ll walk the trail then ride back to my vehicle. From there I’ll find a nearby campground for the night. Not ideal, but better than not being on the trail at all.

[@ervinslens]

Love this video, sounds of nature mixed with great narration is just perfect.

[@jonallenoutside]

Glad someone noticed the nature sounds!

[@walkingblueshiker777]

Great video and I appreciate the humor as it makes it fun to watch. My wife and I did the IAT hikes and others in Potawatomi State Park last weekend. I'll have a video on that on my channel soon. We did the the Wainwright C2C in England a few years ago and I thought the IAT would be a close to home (we live in Door County) adventure. Your video tipped me to the point that the IAT trail be better for day hikes. The road walking would be killer and the camping also seemed to be problematic. You have a new follower and I look forward to watching your past videos and coming adventures.

[@jonallenoutside]

Thank you! I’m documenting camping options along the trail for future thru hikers, although it may take a few years to finish section hiking it to get all the needed info.

[@enilkja]

Great video. This is right in my wheelhouse as I have hiked all of the trails at Potawatomi every year for the past decade (we camp there every fall) and I have biked the entire Ahnapee Trail many times. You’re right, the stealth camping option is not a good one, but I imagine some do it. I’m going to be modeling the Green Bay to Kewaunee potion of the trail in my next model railroad. That’s the old Green Bay & Western.

[@jonallenoutside]

Sounds fun!

[@jaredwild]

You missed the hotel option! Two in Kewaunee.

[@jonallenoutside]

You are correct, but Kewaunee was about 14.5 miles past where I camped, so I'd be stopping for the day at lunch time if I stayed there. I think for those intent on not illegally camping, sucking it up and paying the high cost of Cedar Valley Campground is probably the best bet. Based on your profile pic, do you work for or volunteer with the IATA?

[@kimmurdock6308]

Thanks for doing this video. I find the IAT camping logistics difficult to figure out in some areas. I've contacted several Chapters for help in getting shuttles and I got the impression that they might be able to help thru-hikers or people doing long sections find places to camp. There are volunteers who might let you camp in their yard? It would take more planning as you'd have to set up a place/time for them to pick you up. I'll probably end up renting an Airbnb in some locations and use it as a base, not cost effective though! My feet/ankles hurt more on the pavement/hard packed surfaces. I wear the Merrell Moab Ventilator with a Superfeet insert. I love the shoe but 10-15 miles of roadwalk and I'm feeling it. I'm thinking about using a Hoka shoe with more cushioning, not sure which one yet. Good luck and glad you're better!

[@drokoutdoors]

Yeah, as much as I want to segment hike a thru-hike of the IAT, road walking does take it's toll. I'll stick with the kettles and might steal your bike/car idea. Really enjoy your videos Jon, hope to meet you on trail someday.

[@jonallenoutside]

That would be cool.

[@raymaroney8355]

To bad you had to end you hike early but it was the prudent thing to do. Hope you recover quickly and fully ☮

[@jonallenoutside]

Thanks. I was fine after a few days and did other hikes after that with no issues.

[@raymaroney8355]

@@jonallenoutside That's good to hear. Road walks are rough on the body for sure

[@HieronymousLex]

Yeah it is unfortunate, but the IAT just doesn’t have the infrastructure there yet to attract most distance hikers. Still, I’m glad we have it and some sections are beautiful. Good call on ending the hike when you were feeling pain, I’ve made the mistake of pushing through and that can cause issues that last for months if not years. God Bless!

[@jonallenoutside]

That's one area where I feel like I've gained wisdom over the years. In my younger days I'd push injuries too far with sometimes really bad consequences.

[@paulbuchanan9914]

I've found that golf clubs work great on the horse apples..

[@sanchtodd4203]

Thanks for the info about camping. Its disappointing to hear about the lack of camping opportunities when you want to go from East to West. Is there a solution?

[@jonallenoutside]

One option is to have support from friends or family with a vehicle.

[@christopherhaak9824]

Road walking is not that hard if you are used to it, it is much easier than a bad trail. With proper cushioning and - most important - previous foot miles, you can make very good time. I trail walk on a paved rails to trails situation all the time, 20+ miles at a pop and frankly it is the easiest walking you can do, you can average 4 mph if you are lightly loaded. There is no difference in impact on an asphalt surface vs a hard packed trail in regards to body impact, so the issue here is not road walking.

[@billcole7677]

Can you expand on your answer a bit, that there is no difference in road walking vs. trail walking? I'm sure getting in previous miles to acclimate your feet to a different surface would help. What else would you suggest? By "Proper cushioning" do you mean MORE cushioning in the shoes? Also, if you are on a highway, is there any advantage to walking on the grassy area off the road (if possible) vs. walking on the gravel shoulder of the road? I'm looking for any tips because all the road walking on the IAT is daunting for anyone wanting to become a thousand miler. It's not what most of us think of when we think of "hiking". I've seen some who's goal is to hike the IAT but skip all the road walking; others have said that the road walking was just as interesting but obviously different. I'm looking for any tips that make the road walking equally enjoyable (or close) so I don't dread the road walks.

[@christopherhaak9824]

@@billcole7677 In terms of impact on the body, and particular the feet and ankles, all hard surfaces are about the same - that would be a paved road or trail, hard packed trail, and other unforgiving surfaces. Grass, and other forgiving surfaces are easier since they give some(although soft sand is a real pain). But, one thing that is also very important is how regular the surface is, and it is hard to get more regular than a road. For a regular surface, you can find a stride that works and simply do it over and over again, also a regular surface allows you to set down the whole of your foot (shoe) in a regular consistent manner using the entirety of the sole for load distribution. So, in that sense, a regular surface is "easier" and a forgiving regular surface (grass) is really great. You can contrast that with a trail that is rocky and uneven and may even have a variety of small up and down elevation changes, but with no real change in elevation. Here, it is difficult to keep a regular stride or gate, you often have to actually look where you place your foot for each step and often impact the sole of your shoe on only a portion due the uneven nature of the ground. Even if "flat" elevation wise, this makes for difficult walking both mechanically and from an impact point of view. If you can road walk on the shoulder, or in adjacent grass, that can be easier on the feet while still being able to maintain a consistent stride. I think one of the toughest things of road walking for me is simply the boredom, or mental challenge - it is just not very fun and it is terrible if you have any distance along a busy road. Sometimes you just have to play some mental games on a road walk trying to look for and observe things just to help the miles go by.

[@billcole7677]

@@christopherhaak9824 thanks for the reply. I will try some of the IAT Road Walks this summer as I try to complete a few counties. I agree one concern is that it will just be boring. I love hiking in the woods or through a prairie or whatever, the scenery makes it so it's never boring.

[@jonallenoutside]

It was a dream walking on the Ice Age Trail compared to the very difficult Vermont Trail, but my feet hurt way worse after two days on the IAT vs. 25 on the VLT. I'm sure there are a number of factors that played into my feet hurting so bad even though the hiking was easier such as more miles packed into fewer hours (3.5+ mph on the IAT vs. 1.5 - 2.5 on more challenging trails).

[@RambleRiv]

I find road walking difficult for long stretches for the very reason you mentioned- the repetitive strides. When on a trail I am dealing with traversing terrain. In theory this would be harder on my body, but I discover it is the opposite. Rough terrain gives my ankles a chance to go thru a wider range of motion. My steps aren't uniform and in a straight line, which means my hips/torso are engaging different muscles to account for the dynamic movement. I compare roadwalking to doing a set stretching routine, whereas trail walking is more dynamic stretches. The best way to combat fatigue when road walking is to switch up your stride! It is often habit to take longer strides on flat open ground, as there isn't the need for as much stabilization. You'll find on trail steps are shorter to account for terrain changes. Switching between long and short strides helps oodles, as they impact your knee/calf differently!

[@theranberceau8684]

Road walking is so hard on my feet!

[@jonallenoutside]

I might try some shoes with more cushioning next time I do a section of the IAT with a lot of road walking.

[@arthurvino]

Nice video. Considered more cushioned trail runners or even road shoes? Olympus 5 or speedgoat 5.

[@jonallenoutside]

Funny you should say that. I was just talking about using cushioned shoes with a friend of mine. I’m sure that would help.

[@billcole7677]

Jon, when did you do this hike? Just curious what month you left. Also, how far were you hoping to get?

[@jonallenoutside]

I started late September. I was hoping to get to the Madison area.

[@JM.5387]

Now we know why the RV place was charging $60 to tent camp -- they know they're the hikers' only option. I'm sorry that happened to you. It seems like there are better options for the effort than the IAT.

[@mjeh1]

You just need to stealth camp somewhere.

[@sethturnbull1155]

I stealth camp all the time. I don’t really feel bad about doing it as “land-ownership” seems like a backwards concept to me especially considering all the land in America was originally occupied by native peoples.

[@toddhjermstad6193]

friendly people walking in nature and occasionally sleeping with leave no trace mindset is about the lowest priority public problem in 2020s and Karens who disagree should take an introspective 1200 mile walk to ponder their insanity.