POLK COUNTY—The National Scenic Ice Age Trail, that starts in Polk County’s Interstate Park, was featured at the 70th bi-annual Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo held November 22-24 in Minneapolis, MN.
Polk County Tourism Council and Ice Age Trail Alliance members provided Expo visitors with information about the 1,100 mile hiking trail across Wisconsin that follows the southern edge of the glacier that covered a large portion of the state and then retreated, 10,000 years ago, leaving behind the geography of our state we enjoy today. They also distributed Polk County Visitor’s Guidebooks, maps, and area promotion information. Over 10,000 people attend the three day Expos, held in November and April each year.
The Ice Age Trail has over 1.2 million visitors a year, who bring $113 million to the state and local economies.
Destination marketing is important to Polk County, where visitors spent over $91.7 million in 2018.
Polk County serves as the western terminus of the trail in Interstate Park and has many interesting segments, including the recently
completed trail segment through Wisconsin’s newest State Park, Straight Lake, east of Luck.
The Ice Age Trail was started in 1958, and is a cooperative effort between the National Parks Service, landowners, local governments, and volunteer members of reginal chapters.
The Ice Age Trail Alliance, and the local Indianhead chapter, have hosted several Mobil Skills trail building events over the past three years to complete trail segments through Straight Lake State Park, and north of St. Croix Falls. Many interesting remnants of the glacier’s advance and retreat are easily seen in Straight Lake Park, east of Luck and Frederic.
For more information on the Ice Age Trail www.iceagetrail.org and other area trail opportunities www.polkcountytourism.com.
Steve Brandt (left), member of the Indianhead Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance, in the booth at the Outdoor Expo providing visitor information promoting Polk County and the National Scenic Ice Age Trail that goes across the State of Wisconsin.
[Featured image: Polk County Tourism Council members, Roxanne White (left) and William Johnson, handing out Polk County Guidebooks and promoting Polk County at the 2019 Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Expo]
Last Update: Nov 25, 2019 2:20 pm CST
