I have been going to Indian Lake for several years. I love that it's a short drive from Madison and has 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! read more

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Great place to take medium to larger dogs. There is ample space for them to run. The woods offers excitement 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! read more

An absolute gem of a park that you can hike your dogs around on. It's basically one big open field set just off Indian Lake. Gorgeous and wide open in the winter and trails and tall grass in the summer. Either way the pups love it and it's another example of the great spaces Wisconsin has set aside for people and their four legged friends to play. Whenever we're in the Madison area we try to frequent the array of dog parks they have here. This one is no less the same. By the time we leave the park the dogs are completed tuckered! Mission accomplished! read more

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How was I able to live in Madison for the last 4 years without knowing this beautiful park existed! My sister and I decided to take advantage of the warm January weather and go for a hike. It was our first time at Indian Lake and although the trails were a little too icy for us to safely hike, we enjoyed our time none the less. Indian lake is just a short 15 minute drive from Middleton/west Madison off 19 and highway 12 as you are heading north towards Sauk. A small lake is set back off the main entrance and trail heads are easily visible from the parking lot. Benches are conveniently located to sit and enjoy views of the lake, and I imagine it would be quite a lovely spot to picnic in the summer. Across the street from the main entrance are ruins of an old stone house and barn, set up on a hill. We were hoping there would be a sign explaining the history of the ruins, but no such luck. Considering we visited Indian Park on a cold icy day, and still had a great time, I definitely have to give it a 5 start review! Now to just wait for snow so I can test out their cross country ski trails! read more

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Indian Lake County Park is a solid option for various outdoor activities if you are in the Madison area. It has a range of hiking trails, from easy to fairly strenuous, and you can tailor a hike to suit any time you have available. The park is dog friendly if your dog is leashed (there is a use fee if you bring a dog), and there is actually a dog park on the west side of the park. The dog park is near the boat launch, which is a solid launch for paddling or any other boating activities. The lake is shallow and usually choked with algae and weeds as you get into the summer. It's okay for a quick paddle to work out the kinks, but there are far better paddles near Madison. They are redoing it right now, but there is a shelter and fire pit that my outdoor group likes to use for bonfires in the fall and spring. Hopefully that work will be done soon. read more

Indian Lake Park - Hiking up one of the steeper trails at Indian Lake County Park. - Parks Near Me - Berry, Wisconsin

A lovely park north west of Madison. It's an enjoyable 25 min drive through rolling farmland. The scenery at the park is idyllic with the hills and lake and mature trees. The main entrance leads to several hiking trails (dogs are allowed here on-leash). However, if you are looking for the off-leash dog area you need to go about half a mile or so down the road to another entrance. (This is also a fishing access point.) We visited during the week and we were pretty much the only ones there. This was good, because it meant even the anti-social Lola B.Dog got to strut her stuff. I imagine it may be busier during the weekend, but it's probably more of a place to go to do your own thing versus some of the other parks that are a bit more "social". One important point: the off-leash area is NOT fenced. Most of it borders woods, farms, or a lake BUT there is probably about a 50yd stretch of trail between the parking lot and where the trail becomes more protected where you are walking within 20yd of the road. If your dog is a wanderer you may either a) not want to come here or b) keep them on a leash at least for this part. Oy, it made me a little nervous. (Can you tell I'm a worry wart?!) Okay. Now that secret's out. Anyways, all in all it's a lovely park with grass trails through prairie, there are a few benches along the way, but unfortunately no shade as the park ends at the tree line. read more

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Good, challenging hiking trails, beautiful forest, and the lookout with the tiny chapel is kind of magical. I went on a day when it was raining lightly and it was really otherworldly. I highly recommend this park and I will be returning to hike the trails I didn't get to yet. There is a donation box up on the lookout; please consider leaving a few bucks in it. read more

I'm so glad I decided to spend a morning visiting this county park. I think it will quickly become my favorite for hiking. Indian Lake is just north west of town in between Waunakee and Mazomanie. For you West Siders, it's crazy easy to get to. Just take the beltline like you are heading to Sauk City and turn left on HY 19 heading towards Mazo. It'll be down a bit and on your left. The main park has a nice little parking lot with bathroom and benches for look out points. Indian Lake is a decent sized lake that is currently undergoing restoration work to bring it back to it's more natural state (aka get rid of all the carp in it). Indian Lake Park has two parts. The main part is for hiking in the summer and cross country skiing in the winter. The other park is a large off leash dog area. The entrance to the dog park area is just past the lake where as the main park entrance is before them. The paths connect to each other, but dogs are only allowed on the west side and the area is clearly marked. No taking dogs into the deeper parts of the park even if they are on leash. There is a cabin in the deeper part of the park, but I'm not sure about it's uses or if it is available for rentals. There are several different types of hiking paths. Along the lake there are many easy slightly rolling grass paths to walk on. The lake itself can be a bit smelly in the late summer in that way that lakes in WI get smelly near the of summer. I'm not a cross country skier, but it seems like these paths would be great for beginners to the sport. Heading deeper into the park there are four numbered paths. The paths start off on the grassy paths, but soon climb uphill into the forested areas. The climbs up are rocky, but not obnoxiously so. There are some steep long climbs though that reminded me that I need to up my cardio and add stair climbing back into my workout routine. The paths are clearly marked for skiers including warnings about steep declines, sharp turns, and for walkers to stay to the side during ski season. I was able to hike around for 2 hours at a decent clip with barely retreading any areas. It's a big park. And one of my favorite parts is that along the paths there are random posts with poems on them. Topping a big climb and stopping to read a poem about nature really made me day there. I kinda wish all parks did this as it made a nice hike that much better. I think this may be a park I have to visit on a more regular basis. Like weekly. It's going to be beautiful come fall. read more

Definitely a hidden gem of southern Wisconsin! I went here at sunset and the views from the lookout by the chapel were stunning. The upkeep of the chapel and it's history is such a cool expiernce and I will most definitely be coming back to hike some more! read more

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This is a wonderful little gem near Madison, only about 30 minutes out of town. I've been to the Indian Lake Trail Run several years in a row, which is held on these trails. (It's a great race, and I highly recommend it.) The trails are well maintained and look like they'd be fun to ski, too, although I haven't had the pleasure of skiing them just yet! read more

What a beautiful place for locals to get away. The trip up to the small chapel is an easy one and only takes 15-20 minutes depending on your pace. You can go inside the chapel and sign the visitors log. Be sure to continue another 50' past the chapel to an overlook area that provides a refreshing view of Indian Lake and western Dane County. read more

Indian Lake Park - View from the trail to the old chapel. - Parks Near Me - Berry, Wisconsin

This is a pleasant local park with nice hiking trails. Although there were quite a few people there, we rarely saw anyone while hiking. There is a small chapel on the top of a hill that is interesting with great signage. There is a brand new shelter that is large and overlooks the lake and this would be a nice place for a large party. read more

I did a nice Sunday afternoon stroll with my friend. They have several trails on which you can hike. On some trails, dogs are also allowed. It's not too far from downtown Madison (but you need a car to get there), and it's a perfect setting for a serene hiking for chilaxing. read more

While I cannot add much to the existing reviews here, I can attest to the fact that Indian Lake Park is one of the most scenic and accessible Dane County parks close to Madison. It is probably a 20 minute drive (I come from the other direction to get here,) and it feels like it's much farther away. My first visit here was to give a foster dog, and by default myself, a darned good hike. And that we got. I returned here with a meetup group hike, and that turned out well, especially with the proximity to Madison. Several of our members found a geocache from 2001 up on one of the summits, just off the hiking trail. Great scenery, varied terrain and pretty spectacular views make for a perfect place for solitary wanderings, family hikes, picnics, boating, trail running, or just chilling. You can bike out here, but no bikes are allowed on the trails. While the sanitary facilities are basic now, a new and larger building is under construction, and it looks close to completion. read more