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.

As a lover of WI's dying prairies, having this remnant prairie so close to Madison, WI almost seems…read moretoo good to be true. A great place to watch the seasons change from the first hint of greens in the spring to the vibrancy of summer and the rich tones of fall. Go mushroom foraging, take a walk, take so many pictures you run out of storage on your iphone!

I'm a bit amazed by how good all the reviews for the Conservancy are on Yelp and Google, given how…read morelittle of the conservancy gets you away from houses or streets. While a fairly nice space in and of itself, those that gush about it apparently have never seen the other 85% of the area that is much more beautiful. It is a nice place to take a hike if you don't have the time or means to get out of the city proper. However, Pheasant Branch itself is a brackish, polluted stream. There are plenty of trout streams within a 15 minute drive of town that are much cleaner and more picturesque. The trails themselves are usually pretty busy, so I've never really felt like I'm getting away from it all. That all said, have at it! If you want to get a hike or jog in, especially with your dog or your kids, don't let me rain on your parade. You can see enough of what it's like yourself from all the posted photos. I do encourage you to cast your net a bit wider, to Donald Park, Indian Lake, or any of the much more secluded and beautiful places just minutes away from Madison.

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).

I moved to Madison about three weeks ago, and I've been trying to find parks and trails in my…read moreneighborhood. This is a tucked-away gem that I would recommend to others! I found it after I stumbled upon a connection point into the South Arboretum trail, at a connection to the Cannonball trail. It's a short walk through the forest, but there's no rush. Enjoy the walk!

I've been trying to check out different parks and natural areas near my home now that it's warming…read moreup again, and Knollwood, over in the Arbor Hills neighborhood, is a nice little gem. There's only about a mile of trails, but the black oaks and sand prairie are beautiful to wander through on a warm spring day.

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.

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.

Last Saturday we were so stir crazy from this long winter we headed out to Waunakee to explore…read more After a quick stop at DD for breakfast we stopped at Schumacher farm for a quick geocache. We found it by simply googling "things to do in Waunakee". Great hiking trails, huge barn to explore, During warmer weather there are 5-6 programs you can be a part of such as prairie restoration and chicken wrangling. The website has a fun history lesson: http://www.schumacherfarmpark.org/about. It is a 40 acre farm filled with trails, historic buildings, and summer programming. Definitely worth checking out. We will be back - when it is warmer! :)

Owen Conservation Park is a great park right in the heart of Madison. It's open from dusk till…read moredawn, has a paved parking lot, and restrooms on site. The well-maintained hiking trails wind through both shaded wooded areas and open prairie sections. In the winter, the trails are designated for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with maps at the parking lot and throughout the park showing the routes. In the summer, the prairie trails are mostly grass, while the wooded paths are dirt. Wildlife is abundant--you'll often see wild turkeys and occasionally find mushrooms along the trails. I enjoy this park for its accessibility and being so centrally located. The only downside is the road leading from the main street to the parking lot--it's narrow in places, has many potholes, and sometimes requires pulling over in the grass for oncoming cars. Despite that, Owen Conservation Park is a wonderful spot for hiking and enjoying nature in Madison.

Love this place for walking short or long walks. Interesting things to find. Love taking pictures…read morefor my Grandkids who live far away. Once I saw a pair of turkeys walking down path together.