Chippewa Moraine Ice Age Reserve
The Circle Trail, Wisconsin Trail Guide

Trail Facts

Synopsis

Trail Review

In Wisconsin, there are nine units of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. One of the most scenic is the 3,800-acre Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area, located a few miles north of Chippewa Falls in the northwest part of the state.

The Chippewa Moraine is considered by many to be the best place in the world to see a landscape formed by both active and stagnant glacial activity from thousands of years ago. The moraine was formed by a small segment of the Chippewa Lobe, the last giant glacier to cover Wisconsin. Here, stagnant bands of older glacial ice were crushed and ground up by active ice flows that were still advancing south from Canada. At the same time, the global climate was warming to the point where the glaciers in this region were melting as fast as they were advancing.

The result of this unique glacial activity formed the beautiful landscape you see today; more than seventy kettle lakes and ponds surrounded by hummocks, ice-walled lake plains, eskers and kames. In plain terms, visitors to the Reserve will find a scenic landscape of: open prairie covered in tall grasses and colorful wildflowers, gently rolling hills, mixed hardwood forests of oak, maple, aspen, and pine, and dozens of scenic lakes and ponds.

The Chippewa Moraine marks a small segment of the southernmost advance of the Chippewa Lobe. A short segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs through the Reserve.

The Circle Trail

This guide focuses on the Circle Trail, a beautiful 4.7 mile loop through a varied landscape of a mixed hardwood and pine forest, rolling hills, scenic lakes, and open fields covered with wild flowers. Please download the Trail Guide (PDF) for a detailed description of the trail!

Ice Age Intrepretive Center

The Reserve also features an Ice Age Intrepretive Center where visitors will find displays featuring mammal skeletons, live reptiles, amphibians, various species of fish and an entire room filled with interactive exhibits about the glacial and human cultural history of Wisconsin and the surrounding region.

There are racks of books, pamphlets, and image cards that illustrate and describe the geologic history of the area and identify the various plants and animals found in the Reserve. A movie room offers a large selection of short educational films to watch on demand. The Interpretive Center sits atop one of the highest hills in the area overlooking what geologists call an 'ice-walled-lake plain'.

The Intrepretive Center is a fun and interesting educational experience with plenty of hands-on interactive activities. The center is staffed year-round and you will find them to be friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.

The Interpretive Center is open year-round from 8:30am to 4:30 pm daily.

More Information

Website: Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area
Phone Contact: 715.967.2800
Trail Access Fee: Yes, WDNR Vehicle Admission Sticker or Day Pass Required.