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    Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area

    4.9 (9 reviews)

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    Ari W.

    I LOVE this place. I was here for my first time just a few weeks ago and I cannot believe I have been missing out on it for so long! The trail is great for hikers of all experience levels. Right now, early spring, it's a bit muddy but that's par for the course considering the snow has all just recently melted. Aside from a few slick spots, the trails are great. Wide and easy to navigate. There is no question as to whether or not you're on the path. You can't miss it. Trails are clearly marked. Suitable for dogs and children alike. Once you get to the top the views are spectacular! Lots of cool rocks to climb on and around. Be mindful of pets and children as a trip and fall off the ledge would be deadly. The actual trail steers clear of the ledges and over-hangs, but they are very popular view points and resting spots so you will naturally want to go peer out at the horizon. There are surprisingly many spots to stop and take in the view, so even with several people out at the same time, finding a spot to stop won't be a challenge. The trail loops around and brings you back to where you started so it's a pretty easy in and out. I can't wait to get back there now that things are starting to get a little green.

    Eric E.

    The first to review?? That surprises me, this is a very cool state park. I've seen the sign for Gibraltar a few times on my way to Devil's Lake and today, I finally made my way over. This is a must-see area for all of those who enjoy climbing, hiking and amazing panoramic views. When I arrived at Gibraltar there were cars parked down the street that eventually leads to the 5 or 6 spot 'parking lot' for the park. Parking on the side road is legal here but parking anywhere requires a Wisconsin State park sticker or day pass. The trail up (which is part of the Ice Age Trail) starts at the parking lot and is easy to see and follow. On your way up be sure to tilt your neck back and admire the awesome 100-150ft pines. The Gibraltar Butte forest is filled with them. There's a loop path on top but only the north side offers scenic, unobstructed views. There's 2-3 different rock outcropping's on this side that are great for kicking back and admiring the view. The view includes the nearby valley of buttes that form the driftless zone, all the way east to the Wisconsin River. It's a view you don't want to miss. Happy climbing. Cheers!

    Views from the top
    Gillian W.

    A friend recommended this spot recently, and I can't believe I hadn't heard of it sooner! It's not too far from Madison, but is such a neat little hike with really excellent views. The hike itself is pretty short; probably less than two miles between the two parking areas, so under four if you do an out and back from lot to lot. The hike is pretty easy, with clean trails, and the views from the top are a nice reward for your efforts. It was fun to check out the trees clinging to the edges, as well as the raptors flying around from the top. The handful of times I have been, there are always some other people, usually hanging out along the rock outcropping a at the top, but it never feels crowded.

    Here we go!
    Shayn L.

    I took my kids here for a day of adventure. A day for us all to get out of the house together. It was amazing to jave a day with no cell phones, no tv's, no computers, and no video games.... Just the beautiful outdoors! This is a great place to hike for all ages. It offers several different trails you can take to the top of the cliff. I would say all the hills are intermediate level to moderate. The main trail is the easiest to hike. If my 3 year old daughter and 12 year old son can hike them thier is no excuses for anyone else. We had so much fun talking while we hiked. There were so many animals to discover, flowers, plants, fruit, and so much more. When you get to the top nothing beats the view you recieve for hiking. I would reccomend bring water bottles and a camera for pictures. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL NEAR THE EDGE! It can be a very dangerous place at the top. People have been seriously injured here in the past. There are no hand rails to grab onto. So I reccomend going slow and taking your time. Hold onto young children, no horse play at the top. The views are breathtaking. Great photo opportunity for couples and families. I hope you enjoy a healthy hike and the view as I did with my family.

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    11 months ago

    beautiful hike! great scenery. really enjoyed this place. rocks remind me of devils lake.

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    Indian Lake Park

    Indian Lake Park

    4.6(14 reviews)
    10.7 mi

    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!

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    Indian Lake Park
    Indian Lake Park
    Indian Lake Park

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    Mirror Lake State Park - A view of Mirror Lake from behind Echo Rock Trail

    Mirror Lake State Park

    4.1(40 reviews)
    18.7 mi

    We rented kayaks on Mira Lake. It was one of the most beautiful kayaking trips we've taken. We did…read moreit an early fall, and it was absolutely perfect. The scenery is beautiful. The water was calm. And there weren't a lot of other people kayaking at the time. Highly recommend if you're in the Dells area.

    Wonderful State Park! Memorable experience! Would certainly plan to return!…read more Our big annual camping trip with the family recently took us to Mirror Lake, a spot that was new to all of us. It's an easy distance from where we live in Milwaukee, as it's in close proximity to the Wisconsin Dells. That said, even though we were deep in the woods camping, there was plenty of civilization close by should we have needed to restock on anything. Since we had quite a big group, we booked a double-site and boy did we luck out. I think we had the largest double that was available. It fit two large RV/campers and five tents, leaving ample room for tons of chairs around the fire pit and the big picnic tables provided. Oh and they are *electric campsites* which can be hard to find! No water hook up though. Not too far down from our site was the big shower houses/bathrooms. And let me just say, these are NICE! Like very nice. And very clean. Probably the best campsite bathrooms I've ever seen. I feel as though the building was very new / freshly redone. Other pros: plenty of lake activities (we rented both kayaks and pontoon boats), great walking paths (freshly laid wood chips and clear signage), lakeside beaches, and various playgrounds for the kiddos. Oh and fun planned experiences by the park - it was "Smokey Bear's birthday" when we were there and they had a firetruck on-site, water games, bday treats, prizes, and a meet and greet with the bear himself. A hit with our kids. Even if you're not camping, this state park would be wonderful for a day trip!

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    Mirror Lake State Park
    Mirror Lake State Park
    Mirror Lake State Park - Another view of Echo Rock.

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    Another view of Echo Rock.

    Parfrey's Glen

    Parfrey's Glen

    4.7(20 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    Highly recommend hiking here!…read more There is a small parking lot. It helps to come early otherwise you may have to find parking somewhere else. We noticed cars just parking on the side of the county road. After you park you have to pay for a ticket and stick it on your dashboard. This ticket will also get you into Devil's Lake which is awesome so you don't have to pay for both. Right by the parking lot they have some area/trail/hiking information as well as bathrooms. This is the start for 2 different trailheads. You can go right for the Parfey's Glen State Natural Area or you can go left on part of the Ice Age trail. We decided to do both with our dogs. We first did the Ice Age trail which was a narrow wooded trail. Beautiful with a good amount of uphill. We did about 3 miles out and back. We could have gone much farther. It was so nice, we only saw 2 other people on the trail. Then we went over and did about a mile in Parfey's Glen. Everyone we saw in the parking lot seemed to do Parfey's Glen, it wasn't too crowded late morning but we saw a good amount of people. Lot of families so definitely a kid friendly hike. It was such a nice hike, it starts on a paved path and then goes to gravel, and then dirt. Along the way there are streams (that you have to cross so bring your hiking boots or shoes you don't care about). Towards the end I believe there is a waterfall but we didn't make it that far with the dogs. I look forward to going back and doing the entire hike.

    Totally worth the time, part of the trail isn't maintained and Ww were able to continue navigating…read more There's a small stream so shoes may get wet. The scenery was heavenly all around you. We had walking sticks and they were helpful .

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    Parfrey's Glen
    Parfrey's Glen
    Parfrey's Glen

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    Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area - parks - Updated May 2026

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