And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.–John Muir 

“The prairies along the Ice Age Trail in the Baraboo hills are in full bloom,” hiker extraordinaire, Shirley Tollaksen, reports when I asked her for an interview. Her voice reveals her excitement and passion. “I’m hoping to get out there again soon.” 

Nature has always held a special appeal for Shirley. As a child, it was a respite. When she was out in the fields and the prairie flowers were in bloom, the beauty and peacefulness took away her worries. She could just “be.”

Have you heard of the term “forest bathing” which originated in Japan? On hikes, Shirley isn’t always concerned with the number of miles she walks. Sometimes she slows down and delights in watching a monarch butterfly getting nectar from milkweed flowers, a garter snake wiggling as it crosses her path, or listening to the calming water flowing in the creek. 

Shirley believes urban dwellers can also be “forest bathers” by strolling through the tree-lined downtown. Wisconsin Dells is a Tree City and strives to maintain a healthy tree canopy for its residents and visitors. People visiting the Dells can also rejoice in a view of the river and flowers at places like Bella Goose coffee shop. It’s pleasurable to wander around the outside planters and watch the river’s foaming current.

Shirley enjoys walking the sidewalks along Trout Road and Clara Ave in the Dells all year long. She especially appreciates that the city and village keep them plowed in winter.

When asked, Shirley said one of her favorite hikes was when she and her husband celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by hiking up the Pine Creek Lake trail in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness near Livingston, Montana. They hiked for five hours until they reached a lake fed by melting snow where her husband caught two large trout. For their romantic dinner that night, they cooked the fresh trout with fried potatoes and topped it off with a bottle of wine.

I asked Shirley what trails were still on her bucket list. She hopes to get to Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where she’ll cross hanging bridges up in the forest canopy.

Shirley keeps her camping gear in her car in case she wants to, on a whim, take off for an overnight. She recently got the urge, grabbed her dog, and the two of them camped out at Wildcat Mountain State Park.

Shirley’s enthusiasm never fails to inspire me to lace up my hiking boots. I’ve gotten to hike some of the hidden gems such as Pewit’s Nest, but I haven’t yet explored North Freedom’s 4-mile Baxter's Hollow Preserve Trail, or its 3.2-mile Hemlock Draw Trail. Those two are on my bucket list.

Shirley and I make plans to meet for a hike, followed by a potluck arranged by the Baraboo Range Preservation Association. Join this organization, www.baraboorange.org, whose vision is to preserve irreplaceable scenery, unique geology, and healthy plant and animal habitats for future generations. Other worthwhile groups are The Nature Conservancy, https://bit.ly/4fne4i8, and The Ice Age Trail Alliance, https://bit.ly/3WujRd8. One of Shirley’s favorite Ice Age Trail hikes is the Lodi Marsh segment. The Ice Age Trail atlas, with its detailed maps, is a great resource. 

Shirley and I would like to invite you to meet us for a hike at Mirror Lake State Park on August 19, at 5:00 p.m. Come join us. We might just lose our minds and find our souls.