Looking for one last adventure before the snow flies?
You could do worse than the Otter Lake Ice Age Trail segment on the south end of Otter Lake.
Located on a 76.08 property, the 0.8 mile Otter Lake Trail segment contains a creek and high-relief hummocky glacial topography, as well as several ice-walled lake plains, on a meandering route that showcases local glacial features on the Perkinstown Moraine.
The trail starts with a 105-foot boardwalk off 365th Avenue, located with signage just south of the parking lot for the south boat landing at Otter Lake. A parking lot specific to the trail segment is planned off Highway H in the future.
Trail visitors who visit the segment will find a sign for a campground site roughly three quarters of the way through the trail segment, after traversing up and down a dirt trail with painted trail markings and signage but precious little other evidence of humans. The trail opens from the west by ascending a hill, curving in and out with 20 stepping stones and a 28-foot second boardwalk over a creek. Maintained by volunteers, the trail provides a glimpse to Wisconsin at it once was just after the last ice age
As for glacial features, the Otter Lake trail segment weaves around several hummocks, or small rounded hills formed when debris-stagnant ice melted, leaving its contents behind. Also included are several ice-walled lake plains, a kettle lake, marsh, and stream.
One last note: When traversing the Otter Lake Ice Age Trail it’s important to be prepared. That means water and a fully charged phone, at a bare minimum. With the only way in and out on foot (no mountain bikes), the trail is meant to be experienced naturally, allowing for an escape from the everyday and into nature.