This five acre park features a hiking trail and...wait for it..a small pond. There's also a dock…read morefor fishing and a bench that provides a pleasant view of this largely undeveloped plot of land near the Waunakee Village Center. No playground equipment and no bathroom facilities, but the hike around the pond is a pleasant one.

Maiden voyage at this location was quite the surprise. In the middle of rolling luscious green…read morehills. It felt pretty safe with the warden and Ranger making frequent passes. The host was very friendly and helpful with the 411. The sites are close enough together that it doesn't feel very remote though. Unfortunately, it was very extremely high temperatures so I didn't get to explore the hiking trails. But the beach and amphitheater were definitely worth checking out. Educational programs and food truck Saturdays. Wi-Fi is a little spotty so they recommend cash. The grounds are very clean as well as the restrooms and showers. Definitely feels like you're someplace else even if you're from the state of Wisconsin.

Lovely campsites and what could have been a wonderful experience was ruined by loud, drunk and…read morenoisy campers... partying, swearing and obnoxious throughout the evening. The entire area quiet and peaceful except for these two families who chose to make it miserable for the rest of us. We've camped at numerous WI State Parks and have never experienced this kind of rude behavior. These campers proudly displayed they were from Oconomowac, WI. Ugh ...!! We ended up moving to another site. Camp office was gracious and accommodating.

What we liked: lots of songbirds, easy access to paths, and the quiet! You don't have a ton of…read moreprivacy, but since there are a LOT of empty spots it's manageable. Everyone we saw had tents or simple popups. Since there is no electricity there wasn't music blaring. People were friendly and chill. Dogs were well behaved and leashed. The vibe was great! Three stars mostly because the vault toilets are some of the worst I've seen. Survivable, but there aren't any working lights. The light from the outside that lets in fresh air through an open screen over the pit. Don't look. But it's hard not to when you need light. We glamped a bit with a Trelino portable composting toilet (highly recommend, no need for chemicals or fuss) as well as a bag shower we got from Walmart. The water near campsite 3 has poor water pressure. Use the one further down by the toilets.

We have passed by this park a number of times but had never stopped. It doesn't have the Wow…read morefactor of many of the other great state parks in Wisconsin. But we finally went here to meet friends on a warm late May Sunday for a hike. We did the big loop around the perimeter of the park about 5 miles - boy there are a lot of hills. Very deceptive. The trails are well marked and in good shape. We did see the walk-in camping spots which looked interesting and somewhat private but pretty close to highway 69. There was a small picnic area where we ate our lunch afterward - it was nice enough. Overall not a bad park but it just doesn't have the big draw of nearby parks like Blue Mounds, Gov Dodge, Mirror Lake, etc.

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! :)

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.

Very cute conservancy in Waunakee that is so peaceful. There are picnic tables at the start and…read morebenches throughout the trail. Also very well maintained.

My husband and I strolled here the other day. It's a beautiful retreat and reminds me of being in…read morethe country even though it is in the town of Waunakee. The trail is not groomed and judging by the paw prints left in the snow the fact that they don't allow dogs is most likely not enforced. However, with the warmer weather the trail is wet and muddy in some spots and I recommend water proof shoes as the trail isn't paved or gravel. The bridges are lovely and there are rest benches along the path. There were also wildlife tracks so if you time it right you may see some deer or large birds. I'm looking forward to walking this when the path is drier. Update: I did go here when the weather was drier and I loved it. The path makes a circle, so if you don't carry a compass or navigation eventually you'll get back to the start. It was even prettier now without the snow and less mud, I'm looking forward to some greenery along the path. While you are close enough to town to see civilization it almost like being out in a natural state.

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.

Super cute place to hike if you want something short. I made it around the whole trail, up and back…read moredown the one way street in under 30 minutes. This place is probably more adorable when it's spring/summer. A family was out on the frozen pond while I hiked by and many more people showed up to take it in as well. It's a short drive from downtown, maybe 10 minutes and super worth it.

Not a park to picnic in, but it has a short trail that runs around the pond , and you are likely to…read moresee lots of wildlife on your walk. Sandhill cranes, rabbits, field mice, red wing blackbirds all make this park their home, among many other critters. Worth a walk through if you are in the neighborhood.