Maple leaves on the Johnson Moraine trail

You drive past the park’s north shore entrance.  Sticking to the left fork  (County Rd. DL) past the mini-golf place, down the hill past the entrances to Nordic Pines Campground & the park’s Quartzite Campground you just keep going.  You’ll drive on up a slope, over a bridge, and keep going up.  Finally when you reach the top of the hill you will look down into a bit of valley.  This is the Steinke Basin.  About 200 yards ahead, at the bottom of the hill, you’ll see a parking area to your right.  Park here….

Now if you look at a map, you’ll see you have all sorts of  hiking & biking options.  Most loops you create will only take an hour or so to complete.  The Uplands  trail is the longest, hardest, and open to bikes as well.  The picture today (top) is from the Johnson Moraine trail.  That’s where we are going today. To get here you walk north across the road from the parking lot.  There’s a big gate marking the start. You can’t miss it.  If you follow the trail past the old windmill and up a hill it will eventually turn west.  (There is right-hand turn as well, but we’ll ignore that one today.)  The trail moves along a terminal moraine of the Wisconsin Glacier and has some interesting land formations now almost hidden in the deep woods. Still, keep an eye out to your left.

On the Johnson Moraine Trail heading toward the Ice Age Campground

The Johnson Moraine Trail passes the Upper Ice Age Campground (which is closed for the season) and comes out in the Lower Ice Age (also closed).  When you come out onto the road look west and you will see the Ice Age store in the distance. Walk the road down the hill a bit and you’ll see an overgrown trail blocked by 3 boulders. A walk through the high grass here will take you right over to the main entrance road to the Ice Age Campground.  From here turn left again, walk through the viaduct (Under County Rd DL)  and you will be in the Northern Lights campground.  Isn’t it strange to look out into an empty campground??

Once thoough the viaduct the road quicky comes to a T.   There is a stop sign.  Ahead you’ll see a playground and shower house, slightly left you’ll see a small parking area.  Go toward the parking area (left).  Now you’ll see another trail head.  This is a connector trail that will take you to the park’s Amphitheater or back out to your car at Steinke Basin.  Follow the trail up a little hill, stay left when it splits (look right to see the Amphitheater).  Now you’ll cross a little bridge, then go up a tiring hill and just keep going.  This trail will lead you right back to your car.  On the way you will enjoy some beautiful woods and see a magnificent old Wisconsin willow tree just before walking down the last hill to the parking lot.

On the map below I marked this 2 mile route in green. This is not the “official” Johnson Moraine Loop which is a bit longer.  Enjoy! Oh, and take a map!

BTW, If your asking, “What’s A Moraine?”  Click Here.