After parking in the lot off of Frenchtown Road I tackled the southern most section first, and was soon taking the trail up the side of a small hill.

The trail curved around a sandstone outcropping.

And was soon taking me across a hay field on top of the hill. I made a mental note that this might be a more colorful place to visit a little earlier next year, before the dandelions go to seed.

Dipping back down into the forest, I was disheartened to see so much garlic mustard, an invasive weed (which I had just spent a half week trying to eliminate from my own backyard).

It was good to see some burr oaks, the anchor tree of the oak savannahs that greeted our European ancestors when they arrived in Wisconsin in the 19th century. Also to see what appeared to me to be elm leaves. Maybe elms are coming back after the devastation of Dutch Elm Disease in the middle of the last century.

Near the south end of this segment the trail comes out on the crest of the hill with a beautiful view towards Belleville in the distance.

In another area, crossing between two fields, Wisconsin Agriculture was highlighted.

I traded glances with two deer on this segment of the trail, but both were gone before I could take their picture. This bunny was kind enough to wait until I got a good shot.

I got several nice shots of this red-bellied woodpecker.

The raucous red-wing blackbird I always associate with spring. Saw a lot more this time than on my first hike earlier in the month.

North of Frenchtown Road the trail passes more farms.

There was also a muddy corner that took me off the trail for a ways.

The Ice Age Trail connects with the Badger State Bicycle Trail for several miles at the north edge of the Montrose segment, right about at this newly planted cornfield.

Cows were grazing along the trail.

Glad that the Badger Trail flattened out the hills when it was constructed 150 some years ago for the Illinois Railroad.

Bleeding hearts along the trail.

Back closer to Madison, another newly planted cornfield.

And I ran across this excited young man eager to show his mom what he had caught in the pond along the Badger Trail.