Midwest Adventurers

OVERVIEW Join us for a weekend of spring backpacking in the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Overall distance for the weekend will be either 11.6 or 13.2 miles on the Milwaukee River IAT Segment while staying two nights at the backpacking shelters. (Please read the event description completely before signing up.)

DETAILED ITINERARY
FRIDAY APRIL 24, 2026
Our meeting time is set for 6:00pm at the Mauthe Lake entrance station parking lot. This will allow us enough time to shuttle vehicles to the Shelter 1 lot, return to the Mauthe lot and hike in to Shelter 2 as a group before dark. You're welcome to arrive earlier and hike in to the shelter on your own and set up if your schedule permits. However, plan to be back out at the lot to shuttle vehicles with us at 6:00. If you are arriving after the set meeting time, you'll need to hike in to the shelter on your own.

Please drop a comment about a week prior to the event regarding your estimated arrival time and if you are carpooling with someone. This will allow me to confirm that we have enough people/vehicles arriving at or before 6 to meet our shuttling needs or to adjust if necessary.

The Mauthe Lake entrance station parking lot is located off of County Highway GGG just beyond the entrance station booth immediately off to the right side. (Google map & address below under LINKS). This lot does require a parking sticker or pass, a self-registration station is located by the information board behind the entrance booth. The entrance station is also the water source for Shelter 2 with a well box and spigot located to the south side of the booth. Keep in mind there is no potable water source on trail Saturday prior to our arrival at Shelter 1. The trail to Shelter 2 leaves the Mauthe Lake entrance station lot to the south just beyond the turn loop that allows incoming traffic to turn back towards the exit. From the parking area, follow the IAT (Ice Age Trail) for 1.0 miles south. At that point a short spur to the shelter splits off to the right passing the outhouse on the way in to the shelter.

The shelters areas are often picked clean of firewood so I'll drop some firewood ahead of time so we can have a nice warm fire to gather around.

SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2026
In the morning we'll likely get the fire going again, hopefully less to warm ourselves up and more so to warm up some breakfast. There will be plenty of daylight for the miles we have so we don't have to rush to get on the trail. Once everyone is done with breakfast and packed up, we'll take the spur back up the hill to the south to rejoin the IAT. From there we're on the IAT all the way until just before Shelter 1 when another spur will take us along the ridge to the shelter. The published distance from Shelter 2 to Shelter 1 is 7.7 miles, we can stop as needed and maybe do a bit of a break for lunch. Shelter 1 has more room to spread out our tents and has water nearby. There is a well with hand pump located to the east, down the hill from the shelter. We will also be close to the vehicles that we shuttle the previous evening.

I'll either drop some firewood near the shelter ahead of time or possibly plan to leave wood in a vehicle in the parking lot so we can enjoy another evening around the fire.

SUNDAY APRIL 26, 2026
In the morning we'll likely have a brief fire again as we have breakfast and pack up.

The primary goal for the day is to hike the remainder of the Milwaukee River IAT Segment; we can do that in one of two ways.
Option 1: Hike out 0.25 miles to the Shelter 1 parking lot. From there we shuttle vehicles to our ending point at the Sunburst Ski Hill parking lot. We'll return to the Shelter 1 parking lot and start hiking from there. The remainder of the Milwaukee River segment is 2.1 miles. Then we'll cross under Highway 45 and hike an additional 0.6 miles of the Kewaskum Segment to get to the Sunburst lot. This option would total 2.9 miles for the day.
Option 2: Hike out 0.25 miles to the Shelter 1 parking lot. From the lot we'll hike an out and back on the IAT. We'll finish out the remaining 2.1 miles of the Milwaukee River Segment and then turn back toward the Shelter 1 parking lot. This option would total 4.45 miles for the day.

Regardless of the option we choose, we'll finish by shuttling everyone back to their vehicles. Following that, we have the option of meeting back up for some lunch somewhere nearby in Kewaskum

GENERAL INFORMATION The shelters have a pit toilet/outhouse but don't count on there being any toilet paper. You’re welcome to sleep inside the shelter; it will cozily accommodate 10 people between the benches and floor. However, with the warmer weather folks tend to choose setting up a tent near the shelter. For that reason, I won't plan on bringing a tarp to cover the shelter door as I do for winter trips. (If you do sleep in the shelter, earplugs are a good option! Between snoring, folks rustling, sleep mats squeaking, etc., there can be quite a bit of noise!)

Participation for this trip will be limited to 10 persons based on the DNR shelter (site) occupancy limit. The parking area for Shelter 2 at the Mauthe Lake entrance station requires a parking sticker but the parking area for Shelter 1 does not. Parking stickers/permits can be purchased there at the self-registration station at the Mauthe Lake entrance station.

Situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Devil's Lake State Park offers magnificent views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake. Visitors enjoy nearly 30 miles of hiking trails, four miles of off-road bike trails, lakeshore picnic areas, swimming beaches, scuba diving, paddling opportunities, campsites, concession stands, picnic shelters and picnic sites, fishing, hunting, rock climbing and year-round naturalist programs.

The Nature Center at Devil’s Lake State Park invites visitors to explore what makes Devil’s Lake unique. Interactive exhibits introduce visitors to the park’s wildlife, geology and history, with hands-on displays, live reptiles and amphibians, a vast collection of historical photos and a play area for families. The center also serves as a hub for year-round interpretive programs, including guided hikes, wildlife programs and family-friendly activities led by the park naturalist, you can also check out snowshoes in the wintertime.

Are you ready to challenge yourself? This 13.3-mile loop has several inclines and lots of breathtaking views, but don’t worry we will take plenty of breaks along the way and stop for lunch. Bring plenty of water, snacks, pack a lunch and your camera to take pictures. This hike usually takes 6 to 7 hours depending on breaks. We will be doing parts of several trails: the Roznos Meadows Trail, Ice Age Trail, Upland Trail, Johnson Moraine, West Bluff Trail, South Shore Boardwalk, Grottos Trail, Potholes Trail and the East Bluff Trail. You can download the trail beforehand off of AllTrails if you would like. It is listed under “Ice Age Trail, Upland, West Bluff and Johnson Moraine Loop”. Friendly dogs are always welcomed.