University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract
Nature preserve
150 acres3.6 mi of trail
X6-X8Z5-Z6X6-X5X6-V1+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Corey Coyle · CC BY 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Fitchburg
Fitchburg has 1,503 acres of parks, 46 for every 1,000 residents
94% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract (3.6 mi), Nevin Springs Fishery and Wildlife Area (2.7 mi), McGaw Park (1.2 mi). 8% of Fitchburg’s land is conserved, about 1,878 acres.
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns · #69 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Conserved land
8%
1,878 acres · of 35.2 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,503 ac
46 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
116 mi
51 mi lanes · 59 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
7
What kind of outdoors town is Fitchburg?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Fitchburg have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Fitchburg is ahead of 87% of U.S. towns, #69 of 362 in Wisconsin. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, trail miles lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Fitchburg’s overall grade.
Conserved land8% of the land · typical WI town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (19 mi) · WI 0.4 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land46 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,503 acres) · WI 31 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home94% of residents within a half mile of a park · WI 90% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 87%
LessMore
Wisconsin towns of 2,500+ (362)Ahead of 81%
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract, with 3.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Nevin Springs Fishery and Wildlife Area
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
349 acres2.7 mi of trail
Fish Hatchery Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Harlan Hills Prairie
Managed by City of Fitchburg
18 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Capital Springs State Recreation Area
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
871 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Quarry Ridge Recreation Area
Managed by City of Fitchburg
65 acres0.8 mi of trail
Hiking Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Jenni & Kyle Preserve
Managed by Dane County
154 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Syene Trailhead
McKee Farms Park
Park
57 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 58 parks & preserves
University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract150 acres · 3.6 mi of trail
DirectionsNevin Springs Fishery and Wildlife Area349 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsMcGaw Park77 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHarlan Hills Prairie18 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · City of Fitchburg
DirectionsCapital Springs State Recreation Area871 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsQuarry Ridge Recreation Area65 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Fitchburg
DirectionsJenni & Kyle Preserve154 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Dane County
DirectionsMcKee Farms Park57 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDawley Conservancy Park140 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNew Fountains Commons6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNobel Woods5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsNevin Village Green2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsQuarry Hill Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Bluestem Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fitchburg
Dunn's Marsh Natural Area8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Wildwood Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Belmar Hills Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Pine Ridge Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Hatchery Hill Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fitchburg
DirectionsPinnacle Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Fitchburg Parks
Swan Pond Wildlife Production Area135 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
DirectionsGold Addition20 acres · City of Fitchburg
Swan Creek Park18 acres
Chicory Meadow Park15 acres
Seminole Glen Park15 acres
DirectionsWildwood South Prairie Park14 acres
Greenfield Park12 acres
Gunflint Trail Park12 acres
DirectionsFitchburg Center Park11 acres
DirectionsStoner Prairie Park10 acres
DirectionsCommerce Park Hillside10 acres
DirectionsByrne Park10 acres
Huegel Park8 acres · City of Madison
S. Johnson Park7 acres
DirectionsArrowhead Park7 acres
DirectionsNannyberry Park5 acres
Tower Hill Park5 acres
Perry J. Schappe Park4 acres
Oak Meadow Park4 acres
Southdale Park4 acres
DirectionsHawk Ridge Park4 acres
Rosecommons Park4 acres
Briarwood Park3 acres
Western Hills Park3 acres
DirectionsHillside Heights Park3 acres
Country Vineyard Park3 acres
Gorman Wayside3 acres
DirectionsCurry Court3 acres
Wildwood Kettle Park2 acres
DirectionsNannyberry Wetland2 acres
Hosto Hoci2 acres · City of Fitchburg
DirectionsQuarry Vista Park2 acres · City of Fitchburg
DirectionsQuarry Cove Park1 acres
DirectionsFitchburg Springs Park1 acres
DirectionsHarlan Hills Natural Area1 acres
DirectionsSyene Road Park1 acres · City of Fitchburg
Kyle Stietgert Greenway1 acres
Clayton Park1 acres
Who protects it
1,878 conserved acres
8% of Fitchburg’s land. Who manages Fitchburg’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city821 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service438 ac
State natural resources331 ac
County222 ac
Other state land149 ac
Joint139 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)1 ac
Local Park · 549 acResource Management Area · 438 acState Recreation Area · 331 acLocal Conservation Area · 235 acLocal Recreation Area · 152 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 190 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 96 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County Waterfowl Production Area Resource Management Area | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 438 | Restricted |
| Nevin Hatchery State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 331 | Open |
| Uw Arboretum Research or Educational Area | Other state land | 149 | Open |
| Jenni & Kyle Preserve Local Conservation Area | County | 145 | Open |
| Dawley Conservation Park Local Park | Town or city | 88 | Open |
| Nine Springs Civic & Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Mcgaw Park Local Park | Town or city | 69 | Open |
| Quarry Ridge Recreation Area Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 64 | Open |
| Mckee Farms Park Local Park | Town or city | 57 | Open |
| Mccoy/West Clayton Open Space Local Park | Town or city | 29 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
80 places to go in Fitchburg
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Fitchburg
Baby Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Fitchburg
Kids' Crossing Dream ParkIn McKee Farms Park
DirectionsPlayground for AllIn McKee Farms Park
DirectionsSplash PadIn McKee Farms Park
Directions61 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Fitchburg
Crescent Crossing Dog Park
DirectionsSunnyside Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Fitchburg
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Fitchburg
Picnic Table and GazeboIn Nevin Village Green
DirectionsPlus 7 picnic areas without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Community gardens in Fitchburg
Lacy GardenMadison Area Food Pantry Gardens
DirectionsRimrock/Green Gardens
DirectionsPlus 4 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.2 miUnpaved · 12.9 mi
Wellness Walking Path0.8 mi
Hiking Trail0.6 mi
X6-X80.4 mi
Z5-Z60.3 mi
X6-X50.3 mi
X6-V10.3 mi
X5-X30.2 mi
Fish Hatchery Path0.2 mi
Y3-Y40.2 mi
Y1-Y80.2 mi
15 more trails
X3-Z1
0.2 miY8-Z4
0.2 miZ5-Z7
0.1 miV1-X2
0.1 miNevin Springs Boardwalk
0.1 miX8-X5
0.1 miZ3-Z6
0.1 miZ1-Z6
0.1 miY2-Z2
0.1 miT6-Y8
0.1 miY4-Z1
0.1 miZ1-Z2
0.1 miZ2-Z3
0.1 miX2-X3
0.1 miZ3-Z4
0.1 miBiking & sports
116 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
51 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
59 mi
off-road bike paths
5.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
34Basketball
25Tennis
18Soccer
16Baseball
12Pickleball
9Beach volleyball
4Lacrosse
1Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 4 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
McCoy FarmhouseBuilding · listed 1980
About itJohn Mann HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itMichael Kelliher HouseBuilding · listed 1983
About itFox HallBuilding · listed 1983
About itWisconsin Industrial School for GirlsDistrict · listed 1991
About itSpooner-Haight FarmsteadBuilding · listed 1993
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Fitchburg
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 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 27 | 31 | 43 | 57 | 69 | 78 | 82 | 80 | 73 | 60 | 45 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
January is the driest month (1.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 5.7 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Fitchburg →
Next door
Fitchburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitchburg | 8% | 0.5 | 46 | 94% | A |
| Madison | 12% | 1.8 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Dunn | 33% | 0.1 | 371 | 84% | A |
| Verona | 5% | 1.0 | 190 | 63% | A− |
| Blooming Grove | 33% | 3.7 | 281 | 98% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Fitchburg
Where can I hike in Fitchburg?
The longest trail networks: University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract, 3.6 miles; Nevin Springs Fishery and Wildlife Area, 2.7 miles; McGaw Park, 1.2 miles; Harlan Hills Prairie, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Fitchburg is conserved land?
8% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Wisconsin town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Fitchburg’s trails?
University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract and Nevin Springs Fishery and Wildlife Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Fitchburg?
116 miles of bike routes are on the map: 51 of painted or protected lanes, 59 of off-road paths and 5.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Fitchburg?
25,514 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Fitchburg or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,653 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Fitchburg have?
Ahead of 87% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #69 of 362 in Wisconsin. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Fitchburg 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 →