Ice Age Trail: Merton

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 5.8 miles / 9.3 km
Duration: 1-3 hours

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Overview: The Ice Age Trail travels through the Merton area through shorts woods sections, the old Kettle Moraine Railway, and over roads.

This complete and detailed guide covers the Merton segment of the Ice Age Trail and all it's access points, trailheads, parking, connecting trails, communities, parks, preserves, and facilities. This guide contains over 15 points of interest for the trail, viewable via your browser at home, or on the fly trailside via your mobile phone.

The Ice Age Trail is a thousand-mile footpath highlighting the remnants left behind by glaciers during the last ice age over 12,000 years ago. Designated as a National Scenic Trail, the Ice Age trail follows the terminal moraine of the last glaciation throughout Wisconsin providing some of the world's best examples of glacial formations such as kettles, moraines, and drumlins.

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Tips: Water

There is a convenience store next to Centennial Park.

Parking

Parking is available at either end of the Merton segment.

Points of Interest

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Merton Segment

The Merton segment starts where it meets the end of the Monches segment-the intersection with Funk Road.

Follow Funk Road south then east where to a sign indicating the trail's entrance into the woods on the south side of the road.

The trail continues north on the Ice Age Trail:Monches segment.

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Monches/Merton Trailhead Spur

A short spur trail leads to the Monches trailhead, where you will find a small gravel parking lot off Funk Road.

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Woods trail

The Merton segment leaves Funk Road and enters the woods.

Merton segment enters the woods off Funk Road Photo

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Kettle Moraine Railway

The trail descends a small incline to join the old Kettle Moraine Railway bed. The railway is clear of tracks and could hardly by straighter or flatter.

Turn left and head east 1.9 miles down the railway till it intersects Dorn Road.

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Dorn Road

The trail intersect Dorn Road.

Leave the railway and turn right to head south following Dorn Road.

Looking north at the Kettle Moraine Railway intersection Photo

Looking south at the Kettle Moraine Railway intersection Photo

Kettle Moraine Railway intersects Dorn Road Photo

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Tamron Drive

Just before crossing a bridge, turn right on Tamron Drive.

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Enter Woods

The trail leaves Tamron Drive and enters the woods to follow the Bark River.

The trail enters the woods off Tamron Drive Photo

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Bark River

The trail runs into the Bark River. Despite the makeshift footbridge, the trail does not cross here.

Turn right to continue to follow the trail.

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CTH-EF

The trail intersects CTH-EF. Use the bridge shoulder right to cross to the east side of the Bark River. The trail enters the woods on the south side of the road.

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Footbridge

Cross a small footbridge. Turn left on the opposite side and head to Richter Road where the trail leaves the woods and follow local roads.

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Dorn Road

The trail intersects Dorn Road again. Turn right and follow Dorn Road south on this signed temporary connecting route.

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Rybeck Road

The trail intersects Rybeck Road. Continue staight and follow Dorn Road south on this signed temporary connecting route.

Looks for the temporary connecting route sign on the northeast corner signpost.

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CTH-K

The trail intersects CTH-K. Turn right and follow CTH-K west on this signed temporary connecting route.

Look for the Ice Age Trail blazes and arrows on the telephone pole at the northeast corner.

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Centennial Park Trailhead

The Ice Age Trail:Merton segment ends as the trail leaves CTH-K and enters the east end of Centennial Park. There is ample parking in addition to play fields and a playground.

The Ice Age Trail continues south in the Ice Age Trail: Hartland segment.

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Monches/Merton Trailhead

A small gravel parking area on the south side of Funk road makes up the Monches Trailhead. A short spur trail on the east side of the lot leads to the meeting of the Monches and Merton segments.