I had a terrific hike in this small, off the beaten path, park. It is located on the banks of Lake…read moreMendota, near Madison, WI. We were staying at the Holiday Inn in Middleton, and I decided to check out this park. I went there around 7am, and maybe it gets crowded later in the day, but there were just a few fishermen putting their boats in at the marina. The maintenance people have done a great job cutting trails through the fields. There is a paved trail also (for bicycles and hikers), but I didn't take it. I sure wish I lived closer to this little park! Living in Cincinnati, it is just a little too far for me to drive.

We were looking for a place not too far away to get out and enjoy our recent snow. Given we had…read morejust bought a state park pass we decided to go to the close-by Gov Nelson Park to cross country ski. There is no additional fees for using the trails unlike some other state parks. It was a weekday so it was pretty empty - good for us. There was a fresh inch of snow on top of a good base. We skied the un-groomed Woodlands trail which was very nice and then the groomed Morningside trail which was better. The grooming really helped. If it were windy that trail would be a bit exposed. We will definitely return to ski.

Even on an overcast winter afternoon this arboretum was lovely to wander around. Almost completely…read moreempty, only saw a few other hikers. Free. Plenty of parking. A nice option for a safe, free walk in the woods in Madison. I'll be back in the spring!

I had a work meeting at the Arboretum and took a walk on a few trails during my lunch break…read more There's plenty of parking, though none of it is shaded, so it can get pretty warm on sunny days. The facility has a few meeting rooms with good audiovisual equipment, plus a small library and reliable wifi. There's only one bathroom, but it does the job. The trails are well maintained, and I even spotted a couple of cranes while walking. Overall, it's a peaceful spot that works well for both meetings and a quick nature break.

This is such a good find! I'm visiting Madison and was looking for a place to do some light hiking,…read morereading, and just enjoying the outdoors. I came across this place on Yelp. Not only does it have a few trails in the woods, which are beautiful but the way, but there is also a community garden up top and it is connected to a school and a covered shelter with tables, bathrooms, and a water fountain next to a ball field. Would be a great place for kids. No pets allowed on the trails or in the garden. So glad I found this gem!

Great trails, beautiful field grass and fauna. The views of the lake are crisp and serene. Highly…read morerecommend visiting while in Madison.

Great little park just west of Cross Plains. The highlight is the scenic overlook, giving you…read moreviews to the south as well as looks to the east and west. The facilities are decent - some shelters, a playground, and bathrooms.

A nice wooded area. With an overlook that's comparable to any peak that overlooks the surrounding…read morecountryside anywhere in the Midwest. Several snow sheds or whatever they might be actually called. Large covered concrete pads with several picnic tables beneath. A large fireplace typically on one end and perhaps even some dried aged firewood stocked for a family reunion or a scouts den gathering. Which was precisely what brought me to this very place the first time many years ago. Just about one mile west of Cross Plaines Wisconsin. One mile and change, just beyond the second bend along hwy 14 due west, turn right and up the steep hill, and as the road veers left, you'll notice a drive on the right. Veer into this little siding and a parking lot for maybe a dozen or so. The paved road continues to a Y. Go right. I believe, per my recollection it's a one way loop. This is a small but spacious wild area. Several acres, maybe even 20. I can't recall. I've visited 2-3 times in the previous decade. Almost always nearly vacant of anyone, except myself it seemed. The loop if followed to its furthest point, had a short side road. This led to what I recall as being the viewpoint that look across the highway you exited down below and offers an expansive vista that is most likely a very lovely western sunset at the peak of many a day year round. Another of the side roads venturing beyond the circular drive is another high point which I imagine (I don't think I ever wandered that direction) might spy the western edge of the little town, though I believe as I am recollecting as I write, there is a bluff obscuring that visual. Not a mammoth park. Not at all but a great place to sit and enjoy a quiet moment or to go full on and have a fantastic reunion of the family or friends alike.

Beautiful little park. Really bike trail that has a bit of a climb leading up to the park from the…read moreMilitary Ridge Trail. The park is great. I bikes here with my toddler and he loved the playground set at the park. The playground kept him entertained for a good 30 minutes. Coming mid-day on a Wednesday there were few others at the park and playground, so I felt pretty safe with my kid playing on the playground keeping Covid-19 in mind.

Brigham County Park offers hiking trails and a campground. If you're there during the off-season…read more(as we were) you likely won't run into a soul out here. I can't tell you how busy it is during high-season though, but I imagine there are more hikers when there are actually people camping here. The trails are fairly short and loop through the woods, offering shade & gentle hills. There is no lake or water to worry about. Dogs are allowed on-leash in this park. It's not as "exciting" for hiking as the nearby Stewart Lake County Park or Blue Mounds State Park but it offers a lower-key alternative if you want some solitude (in the off-season).

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.

I was in the area picking something up and decided to take a short walk through this park. My…read morenephews and I used to come here in Spring when everything was still covered in snow, and in winter, the park is popular for cross-country skiing, so I'm quite familiar with it. I've also attended a foraging class here through the Madison Public Library, which was a great experience. The trails are easy to walk, but keep an eye out for black walnuts that ripen and drop onto the ground--you could easily step on one and twist an ankle (as I unfortunately did). Along the way, you might spot squirrels and hear birds singing in the bushes. I even came across some mushrooms, which reminded me of the foraging class. There's a restroom facility and a pond nearby, and in winter, local families love coming here for sledding on hill. I've done it myself--it's a lot of fun, just make sure to protect your back on the way down! Don't say I didn't warn you!

I went recently to try out the ice skating and had a blast. It cost 6$ to rent ice skates and you…read morecould skate for as long as you want until the rental place closed. If you have your own skates you can skate for as long as you want. They have 2 rinks, one for regular ice skating and the other for hockey. They have the green assistance rollators, for when you need assistance ice skating, that are useful. The ice was chipped in some areas, but overall good quality. There is a huge hill close by that looks like it can be sledded when there's more snow.

Great place to hike, nice combination of prairie grasses, woods, water and wildlife…read more Very scenic and inter weaves with other local trails. Nice place to hike and not difficult!

The Lakeshore Path and Preserve- how could one give it fewer than five stars! Lakeshore Path is a…read moreMadison and UW-Madison treasure, as it serves as an exercise and walking oasis between the Memorial Union, Lakeshore Dorms, Athletic Practice Fields, Graduate School Housing and Picnic Point. Walk, run, bike, the oaks and pines on one side, Lake Mendota on the other? Lakeshore Path is five stars all the way, U Rah Rah, Wisconsin!