As a lover of WI's dying prairies, having this remnant prairie so close to Madison, WI almost seems…read moretoo good to be true. A great place to watch the seasons change from the first hint of greens in the spring to the vibrancy of summer and the rich tones of fall. Go mushroom foraging, take a walk, take so many pictures you run out of storage on your iphone!

I'm a bit amazed by how good all the reviews for the Conservancy are on Yelp and Google, given how…read morelittle of the conservancy gets you away from houses or streets. While a fairly nice space in and of itself, those that gush about it apparently have never seen the other 85% of the area that is much more beautiful. It is a nice place to take a hike if you don't have the time or means to get out of the city proper. However, Pheasant Branch itself is a brackish, polluted stream. There are plenty of trout streams within a 15 minute drive of town that are much cleaner and more picturesque. The trails themselves are usually pretty busy, so I've never really felt like I'm getting away from it all. That all said, have at it! If you want to get a hike or jog in, especially with your dog or your kids, don't let me rain on your parade. You can see enough of what it's like yourself from all the posted photos. I do encourage you to cast your net a bit wider, to Donald Park, Indian Lake, or any of the much more secluded and beautiful places just minutes away from Madison.

Maiden voyage at this location was quite the surprise. In the middle of rolling luscious green…read morehills. It felt pretty safe with the warden and Ranger making frequent passes. The host was very friendly and helpful with the 411. The sites are close enough together that it doesn't feel very remote though. Unfortunately, it was very extremely high temperatures so I didn't get to explore the hiking trails. But the beach and amphitheater were definitely worth checking out. Educational programs and food truck Saturdays. Wi-Fi is a little spotty so they recommend cash. The grounds are very clean as well as the restrooms and showers. Definitely feels like you're someplace else even if you're from the state of Wisconsin.

What a hidden gem of a state park. They have a beautiful beach with yellow sand. The lake was huge…read moreand looked perfect for skiing and fishing. There are tons of picnic tables and plenty of people had parties meeting up at the beach. The bathrooms by the beach were pits, but were well maintained. The pit toilets did have a good amount of coop flies. The campground had very nice bathrooms, and has showers for after your swim. Many of the campsites were further from the road which made it a bit more secluded and gave us a sense of privacy. Will definitely be back!

I read about Sunflower Days in a recent summer piece on Madison, and was happy that my Madison…read morevisit coincided with opening weekend of this year's sunflower bloom. The sunflower bloom is definitely worth the trip and parking lot traffic and walk up the hill- it's simply amazing. Over 500,000 sunflowers will bloom in a one week period! There's a bit of an uphill climb to get from the parking areas to the sunflowers and the farmland, so expect that. This is a free event, so feel free to donate to the conservancy, cheapskates! There's as much or as little walking here as you want. Get a few pics of the sunflowers and go home, or walk around the whole sun field, walk past the oak savannah and prairie, or walk around the whole farm (which is quite a hike)! Bring water, bring a blanket, bring a picnic!

Free, just minutes outside of Madison, and having all the sunflowers your heart could desire. This…read morefarm is a lovely spot during Sunflower Days when thousands of sunflowers are in bloom. There are a couple of parking areas for your convenience and plenty of volunteers around to guide you into your spot an along the route next to the field. There are also shadier areas with some lovely views and wildflower growth bordering the sunflowers. Photos are encouraged, though do be sure not to touch the flowers. We went on what was likely one of the busiest days of the Conservancy's year, so I'm looking forward to returning when there aren't hundreds of other people clamoring for their own shot of the golden beauties.

Our friends live about 10 minutes from this park and recommended we check it out, so we stopped by…read moreafter visiting them. There's a huge rock formation that definitely catches your eye, but the path leading up to it isn't well paved. You'll need to navigate through some tall brush if you plan to climb up. I wouldn't suggest attempting it unless you have proper shoes and decent balance (or a good core!). We saw a few adventurous teenagers make the climb, though. Aside from that, there are several nearby trails that are much better maintained and perfect for a casual walk or light hike. Overall, it's a nice county park with plenty of parking spaces to explore, especially if you're in the area and want a bit of fresh air and nature.

Discovered this park while looking for a hiking spot after visiting Mt. Horeb. Only 6 minutes drive…read morefrom Mt. Horeb and what a great hidden gem. We parked at Pop's Knoll which has a gravel parking lot for about 20 vehicles. About 100 meters from the parking lot is an area with a covered shelter with picnic tables and a toilet room. What really surprised me about this park was how well the trails were maintained and marked with numbers so you have reference points to know where you are on the park map. Consists of multi-use trails for hikers and horseback riders, as well as hiking trails for pedestrians only. A good mix of trails through corn fields, wooded areas, and grassy paths along streams. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed at all times. I highly recommend.

Absolutely breathtaking hike. It is a relatively easy hike to take. There are many beautiful spots…read moreto take pictures if you are into photography, or just wade into the water. If you are in Baraboo and at Devils Lake, this is not to be missed.

It's a great place to go hiking and to take a dip in the natural reserve water nestled between to…read morerock cliffs where you can use the rope to swing into the warm flowing river water. It is a very cool place to check out and really was a great start to the trip. Also do not jump off the rocks into the water because there are rangers who watch that area and it is not allowed to jump off the cliffs.

I moved to Madison about three weeks ago, and I've been trying to find parks and trails in my…read moreneighborhood. This is a tucked-away gem that I would recommend to others! I found it after I stumbled upon a connection point into the South Arboretum trail, at a connection to the Cannonball trail. It's a short walk through the forest, but there's no rush. Enjoy the walk!

I've been trying to check out different parks and natural areas near my home now that it's warming…read moreup again, and Knollwood, over in the Arbor Hills neighborhood, is a nice little gem. There's only about a mile of trails, but the black oaks and sand prairie are beautiful to wander through on a warm spring day.

Really liked this quick stop for a jaunty little hike before moving on our way…read more Loved the views and thankfully it was pretty quiet on a Monday afternoon. A bit of an uphill climb at the start but very manageable, especially compared to nearby Devil's Lake. There is a decent sized parking lot at the bottom of a hill driving in so you can usually find a spot. Recommend if you're in the area!

It's a fairly steep, but not too long hike to get to the top, but wow, the view is great. It's not…read moretoo busy up there, but I would not bring kids since there are cliffs there. My wife was nervous when I even got close to an edge.

We heard about this park from a neighbor and decided to check it out since it's only about a 10…read moreminute drive away. It's a cute little spot near the neighborhood with a pond and a small swing set. The path is pretty well maintained, and it's a nice place for a short walk or an easy loop around the area.

Love hanging out at Stricker Park in Middleton! The park itself includes a playground and swing…read moresets, tennis courts, a basketball hoop, and a short soccer field. There is also a bubbler and portable bathroom available in the summer months. The best part about this park is that it is next to Stricker pond and has a nice trail that goes all the way around it, perfect for nature watching- which includes lots of turtles and birds and blooming lily pads in the summer. The pond is away from major roads so it is a very peaceful place to hike and has lots of benches to sit on.

I have been going to Indian Lake for several years. I love that it's a short drive from Madison and…read morehas some nice, moderate inclines for hiking. The trails are mostly shaded too which is great, especially when it's super hot out! There are several variations to check out. I typically follow the outer loop trail which is about three miles. I rarely run into people while on the trail; however it has definitely become more popular in the last couple of years. If you want an extra bonus, check out the short trail to the little church and lean about the history while enjoying the view. This gem is worth visiting!

Great place to take medium to larger dogs. There is ample space for them to run. The woods offers…read moreexcitement for them and the lake side is a great place for them to cool off on warm days. This is the best dog park we have ever used. There is a fee for those out of town folks who may wish to run their 4 legged friend. All the dog owners we have encountered are great. This is the place to socialize your dog, do not keep them on a leash because they can feel trapped when meeting other dogs. The dogs figure out how to relate to each other. The only mark against this place are the walkers who don't have dogs who choose to walk thru the park. They seem to be annoyed that dogs run up to them. I don't care because they have acres and acres of amazing paths in the woods to trek, the dogs only have this one smaller place. I say if you don't like dogs then don't walk thru THEIR part of the park!

Definitely wear solid shoes with good traction if you plan to climb the rocky trail to the top. Oh…read moreboy. I only made it half way, it's quite challenging! Very steep in parts. If you don't want to climb up to catch the views, there is still beauty all around and you can walk by the lake or around the flatter trails. $16 was the daily fee for my car, as I have Illinois plates. I'm guessing it's cheaper for folks who live in Wisconsin. I will have to return in the spring to see the colors! But this state park was gorgeous, even on a chilly March day!

DLSP is deceptive from the parking lot. It looks pretty chill, but once you venture forward, you…read morecome to find out that it is in charge, not you. If you have not read up on the history, please do, it is humbling how much time has transformed this place. There is a LOT to unpack. If you came here planning to trail run the park, you can try, but in my first experience, this is not the place, you would be better off doing that in Mirror Lake. We decided to explore the east bluff which is where the majority of the scenic points are located. I would not classify this hike as a casual jaunt, it was well earned. The scenic points were marked, but not explicit in their execution imho. Sometimes you got to a point marker only to find out that the scenic point was at the bottom of the bluff, so you had to hike down to the bottom of the bluff from the top of the bluff and then back up again, this was not obvious. The maps and trail heads could use some help imho, meaning that it was not obvious to the casual hiker where sh*t was exactly. Having said that, the park did not disappoint, it was amazing and I can't wait to come back again and experience additional aspects of it.