Morton Forest
Managed by Dane County Parks
119 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: VazDrae · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Black Earth
Few parks or trails are on the map in Black Earth
The biggest trail networks: Morton Forest (2.5 mi), Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area (0.6 mi). 4% of Black Earth’s land is conserved, about 391 acres. 168 acres are parks and preserves, 394 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
4%
391 acres · of 17.1 sq mi of land
Trails
3.5 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
168 ac
394 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
4.9 mi
4.3 mi lanes · 0.6 mi paths
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Morton Forest, with 2.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area
Nature preserve
17 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Black Earth Creek Fishery Area
Nature preserve
51 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
391 conserved acres
4% of Black Earth’s land. Who manages Black Earth’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
USDA easements (NRCS)191 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits173 ac
County133 ac
State natural resources76 ac
Joint17 ac
Agricultural Easement · 343 acLocal Park · 112 acState Recreation Area · 55 acConservation Easement · 54 acState Conservation Area · 21 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 203 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morton Park Local Park | County | 112 | Open |
| Black Earth Creek Fishery Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 55 | Open |
| Black Earth Prairie State Conservation Area | County | 21 | Open |
Things to do
3 places to go in Black Earth
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Black Earth
3 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Biking & sports
4.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
4.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
0.6 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
2Baseball
2Football
1Basketball
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Black Earth
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 32 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 60 | 45 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
January is the driest month (1.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Black Earth →
Next door
Black Earth and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Earth | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Vermont | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Berry | 4% | 0.7 | 245 | 25% | B+ |
| Mazomanie | 7% | 0.9 | 1,401 | 26% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Black Earth
Where can I hike in Black Earth?
The longest trail networks: Morton Forest, 2.5 miles; Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area, 0.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Black Earth’s trails?
Morton Forest and Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie State Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Black Earth?
4.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.3 of painted or protected lanes and 0.6 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Black Earth?
9,880 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Black Earth or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 168 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Black Earth neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →