Anyone who loves hiking on the Ice Age Trail is invited to spend part of their St. Patrick’s weekend socializing at Trap Rock Brewing in St. Croix Falls. The Trap Rock Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance is hosting a free Brews and News event.

The trail enthusiast event will be held on Saturday, March 15 from 2-4 p.m. at Trap Rock Brewing, 520 S. Blanding Woods Rd., St. Croix Falls.  Reservations are encouraged but not required at: https://tinyurl.com/4yphb73r  

Patrick Gleissner, trail operations coordinator for the alliance, will be the guest speaker at 3 p.m. He’ll share information about the upcoming trailbuilding season, including projects happening in Polk and Burnett counties. Gleissner will also discuss a major Ice Age Trail reroute happening in Rusk County, which will take hikers through geologically significant landscape. 

Brews and News is a great way to meet like-minded Ice Age Trail enthusiasts; whether they’re dedicated volunteers or ardent hikers. This is a chance to find a new hiking buddy, learn about volunteering, and meet local “trail angels” who assist long-distance trekkers.

A raffle will be held to raise money to improve the parking lot on County W for the popular McKenzie Creek segment of the Trail.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile footpath contained entirely within Wisconsin. It traverses the state between St. Croix Falls in the west and Sturgeon Bay in the east, going as far south as Janesville. There are more than 60 miles of Trail in Polk and Burnett counties. One of 11 National Scenic Trails, the Ice Age Trail highlights the landscapes that were carved out by ancient glaciers, which happen to be some of the most beautiful areas in the state. 

The Ice Age Trail Alliance is a nonprofit, member- and volunteer-based organization which conserves, creates, maintains, and promotes the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. It consists of 19 volunteer chapters spread along the length of the trail. The Indianhead Chapter of the Alliance maintains the Ice Age Trail in Polk and Burnett Counties. For more information, visit: IceAgeTrail.org.