More than 12,000 years ago, an immense flow of glacial ice sculpted a landscape of remarkable beauty across Wisconsin. As the glacier retreated, it left behind a variety of unique landscape features. These glacial remnants are now considered among the world’s finest examples of how continental glaciation sculpts our planet.
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a thousand-mile footpath that highlights these landscape features as it travels through some of the state’s most beautiful natural areas. The Trail is entirely within Wisconsin and is one of only eleven National Scenic Trails.
But the Ice Age Trail is more than a path through the woods. It is a place for mental and physical rejuvenation, a place to unwind after a hard day and enjoy the landscape of Wisconsin. More than 1 million people use the Ice Age Trail each year to hike and snowshoe, to backpack, to disconnect and reconnect.
https://www.iceagetrail.org/ice-age-trail/
In the southwest corner of Waushara County, near the center of the state, the Ice Age Trail splits into Eastern and Western Bifurcations. Thru-hikers are only required to complete one of the bifurcations, which reconnect in Sauk County at Devil's Lake State Park. The Eastern Bifurcation of the trail cuts through the northwest corner of Columbia County for a short stretch, passing directly through historic Portage, WI.
The historical distinction of Portage lies in its unique geographical location between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. Here, the two rivers, one flowing north to the St. Lawrence, the other south to the Mississippi, are separated by a narrow neck of land over which, for two centuries, Indians, missionaries, trappers, traders, adventurers and settlers traveling the waterway had to portage their canoes and heavy packs from one stream to another. The settlement which grew here because of the resulting traffic was first knows as "Wau-wau-onah", Winnebago for "carry on the shoulder." During the French occupation, it was simply "le portage" (from porter: to carry). This was eventually anglicized to Portage.
https://www.portagewi.gov/history/
The Columbia County section of the Ice Age Trail (heading north to south) begins at the Marquette County line where County Highway F and Fox River Road intersect. The route follows Fox River Road as it curves south and rejoins Highway F, paralleling the Fox River and turning right onto Highway 33 as it heads into Portage proper. Previously there was a one-mile trail section running alongside the canal. This is still represented on the official Ice Age Trail map
https://iceagetrail.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5ff8f517b1e34d46bb70ed21b36286c6
Currently (2020) the trail has been re-routed to run along city sidewalks due to dredging of the canal that will soon be taking place. I contacted the Ice Age Trail alliance and they stated that the modified route "... is temporary, but could be longer term, as a non-conforming foot bridge under the RR bridge may be removed and not replaced."
The change does not alter the distance or overall profile of the route much but does remove a pleasant little stretch of trail that would break up the monotony of road running. Instead the current signage takes you along Wauona Trail and Thompson Street to a short paved footpath next to the canal and crosses Highway 51 to Edgewater Street. You are then paralleling the Wisconsin River to the edge of town where you rejoin Highway 33 and cross a bridge over the river. Your final turn onto Levee Road points you toward Sauk County where you continue paralleling the river, now on the southern side, while separated from it by a dirt levee (as the road name suggests). As marked, the route is entirely on paved roads, extending just over 17 miles from county line to county line. The northern endpoint is clearly distinguished by a Marquette County Line sign at the aforementioned intersection. The southern endpoint of the route is not as clearly marked but is distinguished by a gravel parking lot located directly on the Sauk County line and surrounded by various signs signifying ATV routes and whatnot. I propose that the entryway to the gravel lot is the official endpoint.
