Ice Age National Scientific Reserve

Ice Age National Scientific Reserve Hold cursor over locations to display park name; click to go to unit article.

The Ice Age National Scientific Reserve is an affiliated area of the National Park System of the United States comprising nine sites in Wisconsin that preserve geological evidence of glaciation. To protect the scientific and scenic value of the landforms, the U.S. Congress authorized the creation of a cooperative reserve in 1964. The scientific reserve was established in 1971 and today encompasses some 32500 acre. The landforms are the result of the Wisconsin glaciation during the last glacial period, which lasted from about 110,000 to 10,000 years ago.

The nine units of the reserve, mostly Wisconsin state parks or other protected areas, are administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Several units are not yet developed for visitation, having only minimal trails and no interpretive installations. Planning was underway for the future development and management of the Cross Plains unit. Several of the sites are joined by the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, but the reserve is a separate entity. Units of the reserve that charge state park access fees also accept federal passes.