Best Time to Visit Ice Age National Scenic Trail
SeptemberBest month to visit
Find places to stay →Our recommendation
Visit Ice Age in September
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and February is the quietest.
Annual visits
29K
2025
Busiest month
Jul
1.8× avg
Quietest month
Feb
0.6× avg
10-yr trend
steady
—
More photos of Ice Age
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Ice Age by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 2024–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 39 Poor | 25°F / 7°F | 9.1 h |
| February | Quiet | 44 Poor | 30°F / 10°F | 10.2 h |
| March | Quiet | 42 Poor | 41°F / 21°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Quiet | 54 Fair | 55°F / 33°F | 13.2 h |
| May | Busy | 57 Fair | 68°F / 45°F | 14.6 h |
| June | Average | 77 Excellent | 77°F / 55°F | 15.3 h |
| July | Very busy | 50 Fair | 82°F / 59°F | 15.0 h |
| August | Busy | 71 Good | 79°F / 57°F | 13.8 h |
| September★ best | Quiet | 73 Good | 72°F / 49°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Busy | 35 Poor | 58°F / 37°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Average | 30 Poor | 43°F / 26°F | 9.4 h |
| December | Quiet | 33 Poor | 30°F / 14°F | 8.7 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00473405, ~9 mi away).
Email me when Ice Age's crowd forecast updates
Get an email when new NPS visitation data changes the best time to visit Ice Age or its month-by-month crowd levels. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
About visiting Ice Age
Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a National Scenic Trail in WI and one of the system's hidden, low-traffic units, drawing about 29,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has held fairly steady over the past decade. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while February is the calmest at roughly 0.6× — a 3-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 33% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 70°F in July down to about 16°F in January, with the wettest stretch in June. About 5 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.7 hours in midwinter to 15.3 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 2024–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, managed and maintained by dedicated volunteers, Ice Age Trail Alliance, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, local partners, and the National Park Service.
Weather & conditions
Wisconsin has four distinct seasons. Summers are generally warm, while winters are cold, often bringing significant snowfall. Weather conditions can vary widely throughout the year and location on the trail. Prepare accordingly for each season when visiting the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Ice Age
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Ice Age National Scenic Trail — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Ice Age
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Ice Age?
Get the best time to visit Ice Age plus lodging deals near the park by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Getting to Ice Age
The nearest airport is Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW), about 76 mi (1 hr 59 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Ice Age by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The park is busiest in July (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in February.
July is the busiest month at Ice Age National Scenic Trail, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
February is the quietest month at Ice Age National Scenic Trail, at about 0.6× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail recorded about 29,125 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been steady over the past decade.
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Ice Age National Scenic Trail averages about 70°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW) is the closest airport to Ice Age National Scenic Trail, about 76 mi (1 hr 59 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Ice Age
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Green Lake water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · WI
- Pleasant Lake water qualityGrade B · 1 mi · WI
- Wood Lake water qualityGrade B · 3 mi · WI
- East Twin Lake water qualityGrade B · 6 mi · WI
- Lake Sharon water qualityGrade B · 9 mi · WI
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (2024–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.