From the breathtaking view over Monona Bay to the lakeside tables at Memorial Union Terrace to the quirky shops along Willy Street, Madison is full of rewarding (and often surprising) rambles, ambles, strolls, and hikes. This book features detailed descriptions of nearly 20 scenic walks, illustrated through maps and photos.

Fully updated and revised, here are forty-three of the best hikes, nearly all within an hour’s drive of Madison, Wisconsin—from the Capital City State Trail to Devil’s Lake State Park. The hikes offer skyline views, a range of landscapes, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Whether you’re in the mood for an easy nature walk or a day-long hike, this guide offers plenty to choose from: • Picnic Point • Pheasant Branch Conservancy • Gibraltar Rock • Blue Mound State Park • Pope Farm Park • Meadow Valley and Cave Trails Each hike features full-color photos; a brief route description; thorough directions to the trailhead (GPS coordinates included); a detailed, full-color trail map; and at-a-glance information on distance and difficulty level, hiking time, canine compatibility, and fees and permits. Inside you’ll also find a Trail Finder that categorizes each hike (e.g., for attractions such as views, and if it’s suitable for families with kids); and information about local lore, points of interest, and the area’s wildlife.

This updated edition of Hiking Wisconsin brings together seventy-one of the best hikes in the Badger State. Hike to hidden waterfalls in Lake Superior country and along the Apostle Islands National Lake-shore, or hit the trails of Black River Forest in Central Wisconsin. Venture along Lake Michigan in Door County or stroll amid the birder's paradise at Horicon Marsh. Each hike profile provides detailed maps and directions, and at-a-glance information helps determine the best path for the day. Look inside to find: Hikes suited to every ability, Full-color maps and photos throughout, GPS coordinates, Directions to the trailhead, Mile-by-mile directional cues, Difficulty ratings, best seasons to hike, and much more, Details about the area's unique climate and geology Book jacket.

This series of two-color guides includes comprehensive state-by-state guides to walking, jogging, bicycling, and cross-country skiing along rail-trail systems. Written by locals with expert knowledge of their states, these easy-to-use books provide mile-by-mile descriptions of the most popular rural and urban rail trails. They include: Full trail profiles, including length, access points, difficulty rating, and surface type Detailed trail maps At-a-glance icons for easy identification of rail trails that best suit one’s interests Information on wheelchair accessibility; availability of parking, rest rooms, and places to eat along the trail; location of ranger stations, visitor’s centers and depot museums; and where to rent bikes

Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Rapids, Michigan includes concise descriptions and detailed maps for twenty easy-to-follow trails that trek along the dunes of Michigan, follow charming creeks, and disappear into dense pine forests.Look inside for:Casual hikes to full-day adventuresAfter-dinner strolls to full-day hikesHikes for everyone, including families Mile-by-mile directions and clear trail mapsTrail Finder for best hikes for dogs, children, lake lovers, and great views.GPS coordinates

In thirty-six thrilling days, Melanie Radzicki McManus hiked 1,100 miles around Wisconsin, landing her in the elite group of Ice Age Trail thru-hikers known as the Thousand-Milers. In prose that’s alternately harrowing and humorous, Thousand-Miler takes you with her through Wisconsin’s forests, prairies, wetlands, and farms, past the geologic wonders carved by long-ago glaciers, and into the neighborhood bars and gathering places of far-flung small towns. Follow along as she worries about wildlife encounters, wonders if her injured feet will ever recover, and searches for an elusive fellow hiker known as Papa Bear. Woven throughout her account are details of the history of the still-developing Ice Age Trail—one of just eleven National Scenic Trails—and helpful insight and strategies for undertaking a successful thru-hike. In addition to chronicling McManus’s hike, Thousand-Miler also includes the little-told story of the Ice Age Trail’s first-ever thru-hiker Jim Staudacher, an account of the record-breaking thru-run of ultrarunner Jason Dorgan, the experiences of a young combat veteran who embarked on her thru-hike as a way to ease back into civilian life, and other fascinating tales from the trail. Their collective experiences shed light on the motivations of thru-hikers and the different ways hikers accomplish this impressive feat, providing an entertaining and informative read for outdoors enthusiasts of all levels.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail meanders across the state of Wisconsin through scenic glacial terrain dotted with lakes, steep hills, and long, narrow ridges. David M. Mickelson, Louis J. Maher Jr., and Susan L. Simpson bring this landscape to life and help readers understand what Ice Age Wisconsin was like. An overview of Wisconsin’s geology and key geological concepts helps readers understand geological processes, materials, and landforms. The authors detail geological features along each segment of the Ice Age Trail and at each of the nine National Ice Age Scientific Reserve sites. Readers can experience the Ice Age Trail through more than one hundred full-color photographs, scores of beautiful maps, and helpful diagrams. Science briefs explain glacial features such as eskers, drumlins, and moraines. Geology of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail also includes detailed trail descriptions that are cross referenced with the science briefs to make it easy to find the geological terms used in the trail descriptions. Whatever your level of experience with hiking or knowledge of glaciers, this book will provide lively, informative, and revealing descriptions for a new understanding of the shape of the land beneath our feet.

With its rugged shoreline and deep, cold waters, Lake Superior offers exciting opportunities for travel, exploration, and enjoyment. From the Grand Sable Dunes and Apostle Islands of the south shore to mountain-studded St. Ignace Island and majestic Thunder Cape on the north, the lake is deeply ingrained in North America’s cultural and environmental heritage. Around the Shores of Lake Superioris an ideal trip planner and a unique guide to the region. As author Margaret Beattie Bogue follows the Lake Superior shoreline clockwise through Minnesota, Ontario, Michigan, and Wisconsin, she evokes the richness of local history and highlights hundreds of landmarks and points of interest that surround the lake. Grand Portage, Fort William Historical Park, the Agawa Canyon Pictographs, Isle Royale, the Pictured Rocks, and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshores are just a few of the many sites featured, each with a short descriptive history, directions, and contact information. In keeping with the guide’s easy-to-follow organization, all sites are keyed to a foldout map pocketed in the book’s back cover. This book also includes illuminating essays that give context to the natural and human history of the region—the Ojibwe presence, French exploration, industry on and around the lake, and the impact of this history on the natural environment. With more than 200 color and black-and-white images, this updated and greatly expanded Second Edition will enrich the appreciation of the region for both visitors and residents of the upper Great Lakes. Winner, Best Midwest Regional Interest Book, Midwest Book Awards Winner, Award of Merit for Leadership in History, American Association for State and Local History Best Books for Regional Special Interests, selected by the American Association of School Librarians, and Best Books for Regional Audiences, selected by the Public Library Association

Experience Wisconsin in all its glory—beautiful lakes, gorgeous parks, delicious cheese, and happy people This updated edition of Backroads & Byways of Wisconsin is the ultimate guide to exploring the beauty of the Badger State on the most scenic alternative routes Wisconsin has to offer. Kevin Revolinski is your native expert, leading you to the best homegrown products and charming locales available. Accompanied by handy maps and detailed travel instructions, readers will find thoughtful, reliable recommendations for what to do, where to stay, and where to eat. Drives include: Cheese Country The Great River Road The Lake Michigan Shoreline Hayward and the Land of the Lumberjacks The Waterfalls of Marionette County