Open houses to be held on Ice Age Trail corridor alternatives through Rock County, Wisconsin

Wisconsin residents will have an opportunity to review and comment on alternatives for completing the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Rock County at three “open house” meetings that will be held in late April .

The National Park Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource, Rock County, City of Janesville, and Ice Age Trail Alliance will present four alternatives for completing the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Rock County.

Approximately 20 miles of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail already exist in Rock County, including segments at Storrs Lake Wildlife area, Milton and Janesville. The first of the four alternatives is to take no action on completing the trail. The remaining three alternatives all begin at the Walworth County line near Clover Valley State Wildlife Area and incorporate all of the existing Ice Age National Scenic Trail segments in Rock County.

Alternative 2: Johnstown Moraine/ Rock River East-- heads north from Janesville along the east side of the Rock River, avoiding the shoreline development before crossing the river at Indianford. It focuses on the glacial features of the Johnstown Moraine and Evansville historic districts before terminating at the Green County Line near Magnolia Bluff County Park.

Alternative 3: Johnstown Moraine/ Rock River West-, and Orfordville Moraine- crosses the Rock River and flows north from Janesville along the west side of the river avoiding the shoreline development before heading west near the junction of the Yahara and Rock rivers southwest of Fulton. It focuses on the glacial features of the Johnstown Moraine and Evansville historic districts before terminating at the Green County Line near Magnolia Bluff County Park.

Alternative 4: heads west from Janesville focusing on the old, eroded Orfordville moraine. This alternative provides an opportunity for views north towards the Johnstown moraine. It incorporates Footville and a sandstone erosional stack formation before terminating at the Green County Line near Magnolia Bluff County Park.

National Park Service and DNR staff and volunteers will be available to answer questions and explain the alternatives being presented. Attendees will have an opportunity to review maps and make comments, and suggestions. Comments also may be submitted electronically by logging on to parkplanning.nps.gov/iatr (exit DNR). After reviewing these comments and completing an environmental assessment, there will be a final round of open house meetings in 2014 to present the preferred alternative.

Ultimately, the corridor chosen for the Ice Age Trail will average 3 to 5 miles in width and will focus the efforts of the various partners, volunteers, agencies, and organizations working to complete the trail in Rock County. To successfully complete the trail, this corridor will be wider than what is actually needed in order to allow enough flexibility to work with landowners, since all participation in the Ice Age Trail project is voluntary.

Two weekday meetings and one weekend meeting have been scheduled, and will be held:

• April 23, Milton - 5-8 p.m. with a presentation at 6 p.m. at the Milton House Museum, 18 S Janesville St.
• April 27, Janesville - noon-3 p.m., with a presentation scheduled at 1 p.m., at the Rotary Gardens, 1455 Palmer Dr.
• April 29, Evansville - 5-8 p.m. with a presentation at 6 p.m., at Creekside Place, 102 Maple St.

The Ice Age National Scenic Trail was authorized by Congress in 1980. When completed, the trail will be a footpath that meanders approximately 1,200 miles across the state of Wisconsin, tracing features left by the last glacier that swept over North America more than 10,000 years ago.

For additional information about the Rock County Open Houses, including specific information about event schedules and locations, please contact the National Park Service office in Madison at 608-441-5610.