STURGEON BAY — Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail, which begins its 1,200 mile journey in Door County, will become a unit of the National Park Service, Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced this week.

The trail goes from Sturgeon Bay, down through Whitewater, Milton and Janesville, then north through Devil’s Lake to Antigo before finishing at St. Croix Falls at the Mississippi river. MAP

Since 2014, Sen. Baldwin has called for this change, designating Wisconsin’s trails unit status under the National Park Service, to deliver additional federal resources to maintain and preserve these critical resources for Wisconsin.

“The Ice Age Trail touches countless communities in the Badger State, charting a path from the St. Croix River, through the heart of Wisconsin, and all the way back up to Door County. Along those hundreds of miles, local businesses, families, outdoor enthusiasts, and communities reap the benefits as visitors from all over come to enjoy Wisconsin’s great outdoors,” Baldwin said in a news release. “I was proud to lead the charge to support both the Ice Age and the North Country scenic trails new designations, unlocking additional federal resources to ensure generations to come can better enjoy Wisconsin’s wilderness.”

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, according to the Ice Age Trail Alliance.

The Trail is entirely within Wisconsin and is one of only eleven National Scenic Trails.