Ice Age Trail: Kettle Moraine Southern Unit Shelters

Kettle Moraine State Forest, Southern Unit, Wisconsin DNR (Whitewater to Eagle)

The Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, southwest of Milwaukee, is one of six Ice Age National Scenic Trail trips the Ice Age Trail Alliance recommends for backpackers. The Alliance lists the South Kettle Moraine backpacking segment at 33 miles, with “Camping at trailside shelters only.”

Three shelters, spaced roughly 8 to 11 miles apart by Backpacker’s mileage, make a three- or four-day traverse possible, and the DNR says most are within a mile of parking for shorter trips.

The hike

Backpacker’s guide by Paul Chisholm, updated in 2025, starts near Whitewater and works north. It places Shelter #3 at mile 7.3, Shelter #2 at mile 18.3, and Shelter #1 at mile 26.1. It passes the Oleson Cabin, an 1846 log homestead, and climbs Bald Bluff, then continues past the forest to Lapham Peak and its observation tower, where Backpacker notes a backcountry campsite at mile 40.7. The guide even describes a bus from Milwaukee to Whitewater and a return from the Nagawaukee Park and Ride.

SummitPost’s section-by-section guide counts 33.6 miles from Clover Valley Road near Rice Lake to County Road C. Its second section follows Lake La Grange. Shelter #3 sits up a short uphill spur (about 50 vertical feet, by SummitPost’s description) on the stretch from Duffin Road to Little Prairie Road; Shelter #2 is between County Roads Z and S; and Shelter #1 is just north of the Highway 67 crossing, up a spur of about 100 vertical feet. The author describes the shelters as “one room cabins without a door” and warns of about 20 road and parking-area crossings and highway noise on three sections.

Hiking Project rates the route intermediate to difficult, with about 3,500 feet of climbing over moraines, kettles, lakes, and wetlands, and a maximum grade of 24 percent. Photo captions describe “rolling meadows that look like The Shire” and “a regal pine tunnel.” One February check-in warns the trail was “very icy. Bring cleats.” Whitewater Lake and Lake La Grange are along the way.

The Alliance says the three Southern Unit shelters were paid for with a 1971 gift that also funded one in the Northern Unit, and that all nine Kettle Moraine shelters are heavily used on weekends from April through October. N2Backpacking’s 1993 trip report shows the result: the group couldn’t reserve a shelter and day hiked instead.

For the other half of the forest’s shelter system, see the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit.

Tips

Reserve as early as you can. Weekend shelters fill months ahead, per the Alliance.
Book one night per shelter; a second or third night must be at another site.
Carry your water to the shelter, as the DNR directs.
Bring cleats in winter; the shelters are open year-round.
Expect road noise on some sections, per SummitPost.

Camping

The DNR allows camping in the Southern Unit backcountry “only at three designated trail shelter sites,” open year-round. “Camping reservations are required,” online or by phone at 1-888-947-2757, and each site is limited to 10 people and one night; you can reserve a second night at a second site and a third at a third. Each site has a roofed shelter, fire ring, and pit toilet. The DNR says the sites can’t be reached by vehicle and take a hike of 0.5 to 10 miles depending on where you park. “All equipment and water must be backpacked to the site and all refuse must be packed out.” The DNR’s statewide page adds that tents may be pitched outside the shelter.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific Southern Unit shelter were found. SummitPost notes that Shelters #3 and #1 both sit up short uphill spurs off the main trail.

Trail facts

Distance: About 33 miles (Ice Age Trail Alliance); 32.3 to 33.6 miles in other guides
Route type: Point-to-point
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Campsites: Shelter #3 (mile 7.3), #2 (mile 18.3), #1 (mile 26.1), per Backpacker
Water: Carry it in (DNR); lakes along the route; treat
Permits: Reservation required for every shelter night
Fires: Fire ring at each shelter
Trailheads: Many road crossings; Highway 12 near Whitewater, Duffin Road, Little Prairie Road, Highway 67, and others
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Dirt floors in the Southern Unit shelters:

The Alliance says all but one Kettle Moraine shelter has a dirt floor, and one shelter user found the benches too narrow to sleep on. See the sleeping pads reviewers favor for hard, uneven ground.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.