One of my favorite places in Madison. I just moved to the neighborhood and I enjoyed walking the…read moredog around the circle.

Big fun park, with track for folks to walk around on. It has a fun thing for kids, like a splash…read morepad, or something along those lines. Lots of tennis courts and soccer fields, along with baseball fields. It's a cool place, with lots to do for everyone.

McKee Farms Park is one of my favorite places to be. I raised my kids in that neighborhood and we…read morehave many happy memories from there. It is a very well kept park, clean and beautiful. The playground is big and well taken care of. The tennis courts are lit for nighttime play and in good shape. There is plenty of room for a soccer game or to run with your dog. This is a very dog-friendly park and often you will see multiple dogs out for their daily stroll. Bikers make good use of the paved areas. I visit about 5 times a week and I'm so glad this park is available.

This park is so cute and has bathrooms and shaded areas, sand volleyball and the cute lake to walk…read morearound. Fun for the whole family.

This is a small Middleton park that is a gem for those of us who live nearby. I spent my formative…read moreyears rollerblading along the paths (and having one of my worst blading wipeouts on said paths.) There are three different play structures (one of them a Dream Park,) and a splash pad. Plus there are tennis courts, shelters that you can rent for gatherings, ample parking and a full walking path that goes around a small pond. We ran into a pair of Sandhill Cranes and many a Canada Goose during our visit! For those who are interested, you can use the different outdoor exercise stations along the walking path. Not a bad idea if you want a low impact working while walking! Dogs are allowed on the paths (on leash!)

Pleasant park with several interconnected meandering paths thru it. Lots of beautiful wildflowers…read more Some territorial views of the nearby suburban hills. Very pleasant and relaxing for walking (a few benches are provides).

Our place is just a five minute walk from this park, which is also known as "Purple Park" to some…read moreneighbors because the playground equipment like the monkey bars and slides, is all painted purple. There's a great swing set for both kids and adults, as well as a gazebo with plenty of benches and tables, making it a nice spot for picnics. During the summer months, there's a portable toilet available, though it has already been removed for the season. Bring bug spray! Several black walnut trees grow nearby, so it's good to watch your step in the fall to avoid rolling an ankle on fallen walnuts. The park also has a small creek or pond where you'll sometimes see people fishing. Overall, it's a lovely neighborhood park with a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.

Hoyt park is one of many sneaky natural treasures tucked away within the city of Madison. Easy to…read moremiss, but absolutely worth searching out. I hadn't been to the park in ages, in fact, when looking at the map earlier in the day I'd forgotten that I'd been there before. This is probably because we'd stopped and spent some time at the main shelter, but didn't really check out the rest of the park. Shame on me! We missed out back then; not only does the trail make for a lovely and mostly shady walk, but the history here is fantastic. The park was once a quarry, and it shows because this local stone was used throughout. You can access the park from three areas. First is a footpath next to Hoyt School on Regent Street (street parking only here). The primary entrance is a bit farther up Regent Street, and here is where you'll find the parking lot and the main facilities for the park. Lastly, you can hike down from the the scenic outlook at Owen Parkway. There is limited parking up there and on the street by Hoyt School, so I'd suggest the main lot. Hoyt offers a bit of something for everyone. As you pull into the parking lot you'll notice the stone shelter and restroom facility. There are enough picnic tables in the shelter for a good sized get together (reservable) and a large fireplace on each end. While we were there I saw two different groups cook up something on a teeny fire in there. There's a children's playground near the parking lot, more picnic tables scattered about, and a large open grassy area for soccer, lawn games or frisbee. A basketball court and softball field round out the sporting options. Also, as of June 2015, this is one of 10 Madison parks that will be participating in a pilot program for slacklining sites in the city. Neat! The trail (about a mile total) is a mix of paved and unpaved surfaces. It weaves through the trees and rock formations in a way that really maximizes the 31 acres the park sits on. There are picnic areas with stone fireplaces and tables tucked here and there, and a second shelter full of picnic tables down the path into the woods. A smaller clearing past this shelter opens to a restored prairie area, which was loaded with flowers and butterflies when my friend and I walked through. I noted a few benches here and there where one could sit and watch the pollinators at work. There were raspberries everywhere! At one point we walked past old mossy quarry walls, and up/down stone stairways. There were wildflowers all along the trail, which always makes me happy. We shared the trail with a number of people running through the park or walking their dogs. But beware! Technically dogs are only allowed along Owen Parkway and must be leashed while there (via City of Madison website). I don't know how strict they are at the park if you're caught. Regardless, I was pleased to see so many people using the park in a couple hours time. Unfortunately there are some signs of vandalism once you get into the woods. There are not-so-pretty patches in the fencing where people have tried to get through to the blocked off lower quarry area, and some of the beautiful stone tables have been spray painted. Hopefully the Friends of Hoyt Park are on top of these things; from what I read they're pretty active.

We stumbled upon this while staying nearby. It's a nice place to go to forget you are in a city and…read morehas many hidden gems if you have time to look around. There is a pyramid hidden there if you are fortunate enough to find it.

Yahara Place Park is such an incredible zen spot to relax, people watch, bird watch, and get a…read moregreat view of Lake Monona. I live a few blocks from YPP and it is on my regular walking route around the neighborhood. Each season brings the best our of YPP. In the summer, there are always families hanging out in/around the playground or basketball court. The Waterfront festival happens here each summer, which really brings the neighborhood together, with local musicians and artists. In the spring and fall, seeing the changing of the seasons and leaves really makes for a great stop. There is a road that goes by the park, which always has bikers on it (part of the lake loop). I really find YPP to be a tranquil place to take a walk, sit on a bench and enjoy the world around you.

This is a great little park on Lake Monona. I perfect place to hang out with nature. There's a…read morelittle car traffic that comes by, but its mostly bikes, walkers and runners moving through. You can land kayaks here to venture out to Lake Monona or sit along the shore and people watch those out on the lake for the day. There's lots of trees that provide shade and quite a bit of green space for the kids to play. There was a gentleman out with a hammock along the water. Now, that's what I need to do next time I come out. We met up with some friends to walk to Olbrich Park and back. This was a lovely start and end place for our morning walk. It was so green and lush and the flowers in bloom were so fragrant. What a nice little park right in the middle of the residential area.

I cannot believe I didn't know this hidden gem existed. Their sunflower days are absolutely…read morestunning! It's definitely an attraction close to Madison that's not to be missed. To be honest, I have only ever been to the Pope Farm Conservancy for the sunflowers. But it seems like a beautiful place to stop year round for a hike or to cross country ski. It gets crowded during their sunflower days, so it's best to go during off hours. The Conservancy does an excellent job marking off parking spots and directing traffic. They have plenty of volunteers to answer questions and everything appears to be very well run and organized. People come to take family photos, have a picnic, or just go for a nice stroll to watch the sunset over a beautiful field of sunflowers. However, leave your dog at home because pets are not allowed. The sunflower days attraction is free however donations are accepted. Definitely worth a trip to the far west side of Madison.

As a relatively short person, 5', I love the feeling of being immersed in sunflowers!read more