Chippewa Moraine Chapter IAPTF

Chippewa County (WQOW) - A statewide trail is hoping interest doesn't fall as it celebrates 50 years.

Over the weekend, hundreds of people visited the Ice Age Trail in Chippewa County for their annual fall colors tour.

With nearly 1,000 miles of coverage, there's plenty to do on the Ice Age Trail.

"Its a great recreational, its a great photographers opportunity, for birding, for wild flowers, if you're into any of the botanical sciences. There's a culturally story to be told, reasons why we settled where we settled," says Mike Wollmer, executive director for the Ice Age Trail.

The idea for the trail started 50 years ago when a group of people got the idea of making a linear national park that followed the extent of the last glacier as it reaches throughout Wisconsin.

"They thought that a trail would take advantage of the scenic resources that are along that scenic route and also help interpret for educational and scientific purposes of that story," says Richard Smith, who is a chair for the Chippewa Moraine Chapter of the trail.

Organizers say keeping the trail going wouldn't be possible without the nearly 3,500 people who volunteer their time to care for the trail.

Smith says, "Most of the maintenance that's done on the trail, and the trail just doesn't stay in good walking order, it requires lots of people to cut back the brush and pick up those trees that fall across the trail, not to mention building the new trail."

And building more trail is something the foundation hopes to accomplish in the future, along with building new interest.

"There's a revolution occurring with young people and where their interests lie and we think that there's a story thats kind of lagging out their about nature," says Wollmer.

The ice age trail is open year round and is free to the public, however people are encouraged to stay off the trail during the 10-day gun deer season.

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