Dave's Hiking Blog: IAT 5-23-13 to 5-27-13 Blue Spring Lake Segment to Lapham Peak Segment

For my second hike on the IAT I brought the family along! It started with just myself and my two daughters camping at Pinewoods campground. From there we backpacked down to Shelter 2 the next day where my wife met up with us. The extra car meant the end of backpacking and the start of some slackpacking. Day two we left from Shelter 2 and finished up the rest of the Blue Spring Lake Segment then drove up to Lapham Peak for the night.

Our campsite at Pinewoods.

Hiking along the trail

Still going... It was so hot in the sun.

Great bench! Needed some shade though.

Sunset from Shelter 2.

Hiking on the trail.

View from Balds Bluff

Lapham Peak was my favorite part of the trail so far. Maybe it was the good times with the family, but staying at the backcountry campsite at Lapham was a great night. Once the park closes you are the only people in the park. We had several deer come into our campsite and check things out. Went up to the tower a few times and just had a great time. The next morning we woke up and did most of the IAT through Lapham. We ended up making a loop out of the IAT and some other trails so I had some miles to finish up now in Lapham.

Campsite at Lapham Peak

Lapham Tower

View from tower

IAT heading down stairs

Deer at our campsite

View from tower

Group of babies running around

Remainder of rock wall

Frog in spring at Lapham

Boardwalk on trail at Lapham

The next night we drove back and camped at Shelter 1. The shelters in KMSF South are all pretty nice. They all have picnic tables, privies, and are generally clean and well maintained. It rained a little well we are Shelter 1 and we awoke to some more rain on our way out. After saying goodbye to the wife and kids they dropped me back off at Pinewoods campsite and I hiked north back to Lapham to get the segments in between and the parts of the trail in Lapham that we had missed the day before.

View from Shelter 1.

Overall a great trip to Kettle Moraine State Forest South. Any time I can combine some miles with some time with the family is always a plus. And getting some actual backpacking in was nice too!