In Rascal, Sterling North and his father travel to the far north of Wisconsin. In a famous turn of phrase, North describes a “watercourse among boulders as old as the world.” Japan is surrounded by salt water; Wisconsin was carved from fresh. One landscape is defined by the sea, the other by ice. Step back into deep time and experience the awesome majesty of geological history at Potawatomi State Park.

Just as Japan’s Michinoku Coastal Trail celebrates the confluence of sea and land, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail invites visitors to experience Wisconsin’s place beside the greatest inland seas on the planet. Nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin is bordered by Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, or the Mississippi River. Tens of thousands of years ago, glaciers advanced and retreated across the land that Rascal, Laura, and Jack loved. They carved ridges and valleys, deposited stone, and dug the lakes and streams that still define Wisconsin.

We invite you to follow the full trace of this ancient ice. Stretching roughly 1,200 miles across Wisconsin and passing near Devil’s Lake State Park, Parfrey’s Glen, Edgerton, Madison, and Milwaukee, the Ice Age Trail is a worthy through-hike for those with the time and stamina. (Link to Japanese hiker’s blog.) But if three months on trail isn’t in the cards, this signature segment in Door County offers a rewarding and dramatic introduction.

After your hike, return to Sturgeon Bay, a historic Great Lakes port city built by shipbuilders, sailors, and tradespeople. Visit the Door County Maritime Museum to understand the region’s shipping history, then stroll the working waterfront and watch sailboats and freighters pass through the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. From there, drive out to nearby Whitefish Dunes State Park, Peninsula State Park, or Cave Point State Park, or tour the lighthouses that guard the Door Peninsula. Sample the region’s famous cherries, stop at an award-winning winery, and end the day with a classic fish boil or a relaxed meal overlooking the water.

Note: Door County can make for a wonderful romantic getaway.