We were driving from Madison to Kopps in Brookfield and decided to stop by this forest since we've…read morepassed it so many times. We parked at the south unit, where there's plenty of parking, and set out on the trail during the first week of September. Be prepared for mosquitoes; definitely bring repellent and consider wearing dark-colored clothing. The trails are generally well maintained, though some areas have taller shrubs. We saw a couple of Indian springs. Overall, it's a fairly easy and enjoyable hike.

The Kettle Moraine State Forest (southern unit) encompasses a few campgrounds, many hiking trails,…read moreOttawa Lake, and is home to two of the best mountain biking trails in the State. Easily accessible from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, it feels remote without being too far from the closest cities. I've camped in the Pinewoods Campground here for many falls- and biked both the Emma Carlin and John Muir Trails. The mountain biking is great, but (as a novice) I always bump the given difficulty levels up a notch. Medium is Difficult, etc. Ottawa Lake campgrounds is good for families who want direct access to the Lake. The Lake has a beach, a fishing pier, a dog pier, kayak/canoe launch. Pinewoods sites are actually really secluded. True to name, they're amongst towering pines. The facilities are cleaned once a day. Scuppernong Trail is a great system of a few hikes amongst the pines, and the Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail is an easy hike with bubbling springs, that the family will love.

Can't believe I'm the first one to review this place! Beloit, you guys are slacking!…read more This is a pretty neat playground to take the kids to with an awesome view of the river. Not exactly sure what river it is, Illinois i think? The playground is well maintained, my 10 year old loved it. Not your traditional playground with swings and seesaws, but plenty of stuff to climb. There's also a walking trail along the river but I was sad that I couldn't go because we didn't take the baby stroller! We had our infant in the car seat and she was too heavy to lug that thing around in. Parent fail! Would love to come back and bring my walking shoes to get my steps in!

Easy access from Road ZZ, Dousman, WI. $8 parking fee (Wisconsin residents) or $11 (non-residents)…read more Annual passes also available ($28 residents; $38 non-residents). Plentiful parking. Clean restroom with pit toilets. Picnic tables. Benches. We enjoyed a 3.2 mile hike here. The "red loop" is a 2.3 mile loop to/from the parking lot. We wanted to cover a bit more distance -- so we added a portion of the green loop and the lollipop loop to the observation overlook. (Total distance was 3.2 miles with the amended route). The red loop is the park service as "short and narrow with steep terrain. You'll pass through pine plantations and hardwood forest." We particularly liked this segment, shaded and with the scent of pine. It also appears that some recent work has been done to clear underbrush. The segment of the "green loop" that we did is described as "a roller coaster of hills that you won't soon forget." We found this to be accurate. The trails are well-maintained, with excellent signage along the way. There are regular signs that identify where you are on maps, as well as regular blazes. There are regular benches if you want to stop for a snack. Much of these trails are at least partially shaded with only limited segments and times (noon!) that are in full sun. We saw a fair number of other hikers, perhaps a total of 10-12, even on a Wednesday morning. We also saw a bit of wildlife -- a very fat turkey, butterflies, and bumblebees. (there are also supposed to be ticks, so be careful). Two thing prevent me from giving a 5-star rating. (1) park policy allows pets on the hiking trails if they're on a leash. However, all SIX dogs that we saw were off-leash until the owner saw us. In one case, a large dog came running towards us (with no owner in sight) while we were eating our lunches. Thankfully, he obeyed when my husband told him to sit. (Full disclosure. I'm rather afraid of dogs after having been bit). (2) the park also allows hunting, and suggestions to wear bright clothing and to inquire about hunting seasons. However, no park personnel were on-site and, signage suggested that there's a long-g-g hunting season (Sept 1 to end of May). (May 10, 2023).

A great trail close to the Milwaukee area. Scuppernong has three different trails, intermediate…read moreand advanced levels. My husband & I really enjoyed it. The area is very clean, and very well kept. I highly recommend to check the Ice Age Trail website before visiting. They have great resources to prepare you for your visit, and even suggestions on where to go in the area depending on your type of visit.m, as well. This is a trail for active people, who are looking to be out in natural trails. Come early, and you'll feel like you have the place to explore all to yourself.

I love this county park mainly for the dog park! Separation for breeds with a water faucet, poop…read morebags, trash cans and gated entry for both areas. They have small, large and an area for shy/lazy dogs. All of these areas are massive!!! The bathroom by the dog park is just a porta potty but in the actual park across the street are building bathrooms. The park is always super well landscaped. The trails aren't marked very well but if you walk from picnic area one (by the office) to the entrance and back it's about 1 miles and paved. I personally haven't tried any camping there or the beach but I have heard it is super nice. The beach is dog friendly too!

Went here for paddle boarding with my friend and our pups. It was a nice park didn't mind paying…read morefor a day visit, however for 2025 I think I will get the Waukesha Park annual pass. They do need to work a little better on parking signage! That would be the only feedback since it is labeled for boats and seems like that is the only type of parking that can take place in the lot. So we drove in circles a little bit, but then saw a park worker who was able to point us in the right direction. We also came across park staff on the beach and they were very nice as well.

Much quieter and safer than other parks in Ozaukee county. Kids that go there are always polite and…read morerespectful.

Get motivated by coming to Congdan Park!…read more I like to do some running as part of my physical fitness routine. Delavan streets (like any streets and sidewalks) are brutal on the knees and difficult to enjoy when having to keep a watch out for passing traffic. Congdan Park has become a savior to my fitness. The park is mostly comprised of a pond for fishing with a surrounding .9 mile trail. There are gardens with picnic tables and a water fountain on the west side, which is beautiful in the summer. The trail is relatively quiet, so I haven't had trouble taking laps around the pond, and it's really quite lovely to rest up afterwards in the gardens. One drawback is that the park is right next to highway 43, but if you're going to try and make an area more beautiful why green around the pavement? It's a lovely area that wont be lost on its visitors.

This is a nice little beach in Wildwood. You do need a resident parking sticker to park along the…read moreposted area however. We are not Wildwood residents but have found parking not too far off. The swimming area is marked and mostly attracts families with young kids.

Nice park. It has a pavilion and a small beach area. The park is not very big, but it is a hidden…read moregem. Recommend you check it out. Oh, and Joe says, "Don't forget...it turns out the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

I stopped in for a quick visit on a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining, it was quiet and I…read morefelt perfectly at ease in this beautiful setting. I pulled in and got out of my car wondering what I was going to see. There was a cute round stone table with seating, tons of beautiful trees and a very well manicured walking path. Since the day was so lovely, I took my time and enjoyed the solitude. Being a weekday afternoon, I only saw one other couple going for a stroll. There is a map that lays out the walking trail. It consists of a nice big circle approximately a mile long. There is sun and shade on the trail. This was my first visit but I can imagine this trail being gorgeous in all four seasons. I highly recommend visiting here if you are looking for an easy hike that isn't too long or too steep. Next time I'll visit the adjoining Ten Chimneys when it is open.

We visited Buchner Park during Waukesha Unlocked and came away with so much newfound knowledge…read more This park is top quality and a wonderful place for swimming, a lazy river, a kiddie pool, tennis, pickleball, baseball, and lots of green grass to enjoy any time. The history of Mr. Buchner is interesting, and the people who shared information with us were truly proud of all that the town has done for the community. This park offers something for everyone, every age.

I go here once in a while, and every time I do, I'm either relaxed, swimming (in the summer), or…read moreriding my bike, and it's all really nice and pretty. Even on a rainy day it still feels like a community park, not just a random plot of land with a slide and swing.

Took the pups here to go paddle boarding…read more Arrived around 8am so still fairly early, it was a little confusing where to park for the beach. The beach parking is the same as the boat launch parking (large lot) there is then a path that will take you down to the beach about .25 mile walk. Not horrible but good to note! We asked the park staff and were informed if the pups are swimming they can be off leash on the sand to go in and out of the water but otherwise their leashes need to be on (which was no problem) Bathrooms located near the water and up by the parking nice and clean. Really only downfall was the labeling of parking for the beach and then access to get there, we only figured it out after driving in circles and finding a park staff member. However now we know! Also there is not an easy way to get into the water (walk in style) with a paddle board, since they only have docks to drop down from so a little challenging with the pups, but otherwise it might be easier if you are going with a kayak. They do also have kayak rentals located in the boat launch area. Will definitely return

It's really nice for 4th of July fireworks. You can bring a small grill or they have a few…read morepermanent ones if you get there early enough. There are also a number of picnic tables but they also are claimed quickly. The beach is small but never crowded and is a nice sandy beach. The swimming area is adequate, but very rocky. Therefore, I recommend bringing shoes if you are going to walk in the water. There used to be a lifeguard, but as of 2019, there wasn't one for the fireworks. They also have a playground area that is decent but I noticed there was a step that was cracked and I'm not sure how well it's managed. The bathrooms have been under some level of repair for the last 5 years, often a toilet, sink, shower, or urinal. Nothing major, but noticeably annoying. However, they are usually stocked though I've rarely seen staff here to restock. That said, there are showers to rinse and they have a second area in each stall to change or hold dry clothes.