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Ice Age Trail users surpass 4.6 million in 2024

Ice Age Trail users surpass 4.6 million in 2024

PLUS increasing panfish sizes, snowy owl calls New Glarus home, and guide to all 80 state parks

Forrest Koslowski
January 09, 2025

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Mornin’ to everyone interested getting a quick snapshot of tubing, candlelit hikes, winter festivals, and ice skating events in Wisconsin. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly, the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

This week’s weekly:

🎣 Study looks to grow the size of panfish (oh heck ya)

🦉 Rare snowy owl calls New Glarus home

📚 Retired Park Ranger creates guide to all 80 state parks

🥾 Story of the week: Ice Age Trail users surpass 4.6 million in 2024

🎣 Study looks to grow the size of panfish (oh heck ya) LINK

The Wisconsin DNR is conducting a 10-year study to evaluate whether adjusting panfish harvest regulations can increase fish sizes, focusing on the impact of the longstanding 25-fish bag limit.
Initial findings suggest that reducing harvest limits can improve panfish sizes in some lakes, though outcomes vary depending on lake-specific population dynamics.
The DNR plans to propose targeted regulation changes during spring hearings, potentially maintaining the overall bag limit while restricting harvests of specific species in certain lakes.

🦉 Rare snowy owl arrives in New Glarus LINK

Snowy owls, typically Arctic residents, occasionally migrate to Wisconsin during winter, with one particularly striking owl drawing daily visitors in New Glarus since December.
Per the DNR, at least 50 of these owls have arrived in Wisconsin since mid-December
The snowy owl, which is the heaviest owl in all of North America weighing 3 to 6 pounds, is considered vulnerable, with a 64% decline reported between 1970 and 2014

📚 Retired Park Ranger creates guide to all 80 state parks LINK

Retired Wisconsin DNR park ranger Jim Buchholz has authored a comprehensive 495-page guide, "Wisconsin State Parks, Forests, and Recreation Areas − A Ranger's Guide," featuring detailed insights, amenities, and trivia about the state's 80 parks, forests, and recreation areas.
Buchholz's decade-long effort involved visiting each park, capturing high-quality photos, and sharing geological, historical, and practical information to help visitors fully appreciate Wisconsin's natural treasures.
Leveraging his experience as a park ranger and columnist, Buchholz plans to expand his work with a future book focusing on Wisconsin's county parks while continuing to enjoy camping and exploring with his wife.

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🥾 STORY OF THE WEEK: Ice Age Trail users surpass 4.6 million in 2024 LINK

This year was huge for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, our 1,200-mile treasure, due to historic trail expansions, record-breaking volunteer efforts, and significant economic impact.

The trail now boasts 702.6 hike-ready miles, including two new scenic segments in Montello and Algoma, alongside major improvements to existing stretches like the Greenbush and Blue Hills Segments.

Volunteerism reached new heights, with over 103,000 service hours logged—cementing the trail as one of the top National Park Service sites for volunteer engagement. Boo yah!

Reflecting on this success, Ice Age Trail Alliance CEO Luke Kloberdanz said, “We are deeply grateful to our volunteers, supporters, and partners... Together, we’ve made incredible strides in protecting, creating and celebrating this natural wonder.”

With 4.65 million annual users contributing $431 million to Wisconsin’s economy (think: fuel stations, hotels, restaurants, gear shops, etc), the trail has become a cornerstone of both outdoor recreation and community connection.

As Kloberdanz noted, “The economic impact study confirmed what we anecdotally knew to be true—more people than ever before are getting out on the trail.”

The Alliance looks to 2025 with plans to build on this year’s momentum, further connecting people to Wisconsin’s glacial heritage and vibrant communities.

Now forward this email to a friend, have a great weekend, and get out ‘der.

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