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.

This is a great find half an hour from Madison. The park has a variety of trails through woods,…read moreprairie and along the lake. Most of them are loops so you can do as short a hike as you want or add several loops together and spend a few hours. They are also decently hilly so that's fun too. My favorite trail runs along the lake, great views! Be cautious though, the narrow trail through the woods does border a steep decline to the lake. It's worth it though, great views!! The other nice thing about this park (at least when I've been there) is that there aren't very many people around so it's easy to hike around and barely see anyone else. Some of the trails bump up against neighborhoods so that's interesting, emerging from the woods into a prairie and then seeing houses. Must be nice to have this park as your back yard though! Dogs are allowed in this park, on leash of course. There are garbage cans near the parking lot and a small beach area. Also near the parking lot is a playground and a shelter with a number of picnic tables. Definitely worth the drive. We will be back!

5.14.24 - Great park with playground, beach, ducks, covered picnic area, benches along the hike,…read morerest shelters, clean restroom.

Great walking/biking path and quite a few folks set up this morning doing some fishing. The park…read morehas boat launches available. I found a space with free parking that fit the Sprinter van and started my walk. Along Lake Monona it's a beautiful spot for some exercise. If you're here for a bit, head to Monona Terrace and get a view of the lake from 5 stories up. [Review 20690 overall - 260 in Wisconsin - 1671 of 2023.]

Not much to say about this place, but:…read more Location: 4 out of 5 Prime real estate really close to Monona Terrace. I parked there and took a walk around with the dog while the future wiffy went to MT to pick up her Madison Half Marathon packet. There's restaurants and a bike shop that does rentals quite close by, and depending on what you plan on doing and what time of day you go, the parking is free. Easy access to the lakefront trail. Amenities: 2 out of 5 Not a full scale "park" in the sense that there's a field house with bathrooms, but I do recall a porta potty there (maybe it was just there because of the marathon though). A few floating docks for people who want to launch watercraft rounds out the the "amenities". Picturesque factor: 4 out of 5 Looking out over the lake was really pretty, and I had the lovely experience of seeing a furry rodent swimming towards me, only to climb back into his nest under one of the floating docks. Muskrat, perhaps - but I didn't get a really good look at him/her. Dog enjoyment factor: 5 out of 5 A rare metric, but my dog enjoyed walking around, particularly because he enjoys walking on floating docks and being on boats....but he actually hates being in the water. He enjoys most things that involve being outdoors, however - so this may be a moot point. Overall: 4 out of 5 Not a whole lot to do if you plan on having a picnic, but if you want to hit up the lakefront trail by running or biking, it's a good place to park for a few hours. Likewise, it's also a really pretty place to take a few photos, and I'm sure the sunrise/sunset really looks cool.

If there had been snow we would have been cross country skiing but since the last month has been…read morerelatively snow free we opted for a winter hike instead. Our friends know this park inside and out so we followed their lead and hiked on what would be the ski trails vs. the mountain biking trails. The park was pretty empty given the cold gray day and the icy trails (we were glad we had our yak trax with us or it would have been a tough hike). We didn't explore the fire towers or much beyond the trails but we will definitely come back to ski this winter and to hike in better weather. Also the staff in the office was very friendly when I went it to buy my annual pass. They were closed when we arrived earlier in the day so they let me use my day pass purchase towards the yearly pass fee.

Whilst in the area, I decided to drive to the state park since it was right here. I turned where…read morethe sign said Blue Mound State Park... but to be honest, I couldn't actually find the park. I must have been there or right by it because there was the sign announcing it, but it was just driving through the wooded area; I never saw a place to pull out that was a park. I didn't see any trails crossing the road, either, so I'm not sure what was up. I did see four deer whilst driving through, so that was pretty cool. There are probably better parks in the area.

My puppy Rose and I had a great time there today! I've been leery of dog parks in the past, but…read morethis is a great place. It is large and very clean. Rosie and I met some really nice people and dogs there today. We both got some exercise (well, only one of us is asleep right now). We'll definitely be back! Doggie bags are available near the entrance. Trash cans are set up around the park. The only thing I wish they had was doggie water fountains. Yes, I know it's winter; I'm just saying. Also, the county park has lots of different sections/parking lots/entrances. As you get close they have helpful signs pointing you towards the dog exercise area. Rose and I can't wait to go back!

Great dog park! They have both small and large dog areas. The larger dog area is a nice loop. The…read moretrail is well maintained and there's tons of space for the dogs to run. It's a beautiful area with large prairie grass. I always have a tired dog after coming here.

Great place to spend the afternoon with family. Nice pier for parking your boat. Bathrooms are…read moreclean, bike stations, adirondack chairs for viewing the lake and a sandy beach!

This is a great little park with a sandy beach in the heart of Monona right on the shores of Lake…read moreMonona. There is a small playground, bathrooms, a pier, picnic tables, and a gazebo. A recent addition is the B-bike electric bike rentals. I also have seen guys fishing along the small canal. Across the street is the bait and ice cream shop which is handy in many regards. They serve the typical hot dogs, burgers and Babcock ice cream. Once a month in summer they hold beer garden events with bands. Another plus. A nice community asset.

We heard about this park from a neighbor and decided to check it out since it's only about a 10…read moreminute drive away. It's a cute little spot near the neighborhood with a pond and a small swing set. The path is pretty well maintained, and it's a nice place for a short walk or an easy loop around the area.

Love hanging out at Stricker Park in Middleton! The park itself includes a playground and swing…read moresets, tennis courts, a basketball hoop, and a short soccer field. There is also a bubbler and portable bathroom available in the summer months. The best part about this park is that it is next to Stricker pond and has a nice trail that goes all the way around it, perfect for nature watching- which includes lots of turtles and birds and blooming lily pads in the summer. The pond is away from major roads so it is a very peaceful place to hike and has lots of benches to sit on.

Wisconsin's Largest Natural Bridge/Arch…read more this natural arch is located in the "Driftless Area of Southwestern Wisconsin" meaning....this natural bridge was not glaciated during the last Ice Age & is still standing strong today! Quick Facts * archeologists found charred wood in fire pits underneath this natural bridge that dates as far back as 12,000 years * this is a 530 acre state park with lots of beauty...but stay on the trails!! ‼ * the trail to the natural bridge is quick & easy! Bring your family * there are no trash cans...keep your trash on you!! * this spot is located very close to the House on the Rock * add this spot to your list of Things To Do in Wisconsin!

This is the most bizarre State Park I've been to in Wisconsin, and I've been to many. I don't know…read morewhy it has State Park status, it's more of a State Natural Area, because there is no park office, no bathrooms of any kind, no picnic tables, no one enforcing or collecting the fee you're supposed to pay -- there's just a parking lot you drive into, for free as far as I can tell. The posted map says it has toilets and a picnic area, but they are not there. Anyway, once you park and take the mowed trail, it's a pretty short hike to the bridge, which is very, very beautiful. There are a couple of more trails you can continue to walk on, but they seemed to disappear into nothingness after a while, so we turned back. So definitely stop in for 30 minutes to see the natural beauty, but there's no reason to stay beyond that.