University of Wisconsin Arboretum
Nature preserve
996 acres12.7 mi of trail
L6-L8G4-L4E5-E8J4-J5+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Curtis LotWebsite ↗
Photo: college.library · CC BY 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Madison
12% of Madison’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 155 miles of mapped trail cross Madison, 1.8 per square mile of land. 12% of Madison’s land is conserved, about 6,464 acres.
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns · #22 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
6,464 acres · of 84.2 sq mi of land
Trails
155 mi
1.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,562 ac
24 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
345 mi
206 mi lanes · 104 mi paths
Highest peak
1,010 ft
Eagle Heights
Lakes & rivers
27
24 beaches · 22 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Madison?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Madison have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Madison is ahead of 95% of U.S. towns, #22 of 362 in Wisconsin. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Madison’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical WI town 4% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (155 mi) · WI 0.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land24 acres of park per 1,000 residents (6,562 acres) · WI 31 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · WI 90% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 95%
LessMore
Wisconsin towns of 2,500+ (362)Ahead of 94%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Madison ranks #32 on Outdoors.
Water is 20% of Madison’s area (21 of 106 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 10%.
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, with 12.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Managed by UW-Madison
299 acres10.7 mi of trail
Big Oak Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Elver Park
Managed by City of Madison
250 acres7.8 mi of trail
Forest LoopWalnut LoopBall Field LoopStaircase Trails+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park
Managed by Dane County
311 acres5.5 mi of trail
Lussier-Drumlin Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Owen Conservation Park
Managed by City of Madison
99 acres3.6 mi of trail
Crestwood School Path
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
Cherokee Marsh South Unit
Nature preserve
257 acres3.4 mi of trail
Cherokee Marsh Trail (southCherokee Marsh Trail (south)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Yahara Heights County Park
Park
123 acres3.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ice Age Trail Junction Area
Managed by Dane County Parks
128 acres2.6 mi of trail
Ice Age Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 260 parks & preserves
University of Wisconsin Arboretum996 acres · 12.7 mi of trail
DirectionsLakeshore Nature Preserve299 acres · 10.7 mi of trail · UW-Madison
DirectionsElver Park250 acres · 7.8 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsWilliam G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park311 acres · 5.5 mi of trail · Dane County
DirectionsOwen Conservation Park99 acres · 3.6 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsCherokee Marsh South Unit257 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsYahara Heights County Park123 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsIce Age Trail Junction Area128 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Dane County Parks
DirectionsQuarry Park18 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsTurville Point Conservation Park63 acres · 2.5 mi of trail
DirectionsCapital Springs State Recreation Area593 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsOlbrich Park117 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsWarner Park234 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsDoor Creek Park161 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsUniversity of Wisconsin Arboretum - Grady Tract55 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsHoyt Park33 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · City of Madison Parks
DirectionsCherokee Marsh North Unit128 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsQuann Park56 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMeadow Ridge Park31 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsEdna Taylor Conservation Park60 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Ridge Park49 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Lake View Hill Park46 acres · 1.2 mi of trail
Olin Park54 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsNorth-East Greenspace171 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsCherokee Marsh- Mendota Unit39 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsKnollwood Conservation Park17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsElvehjem Park16 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodland Hills Park15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsJenni & Kyle Preserve14 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Dane County
DirectionsGlen Oak Hills Park10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Amund Reindahl Park88 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMarshall Park37 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSandberg Woods Park37 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWexford Park22 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Raymond Ridge Park20 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Edgewood Forest13 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsKettle Pond Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Madison
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Wildlife Observation Area66 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District
DirectionsHenry Vilas Park59 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsMarlborough Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Madison
Walnut Grove Park16 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsAldo Leopold Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvey E Schmidt Park9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBlooming Grove Drumlins Natural Resource Area- North Unit86 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsTenney Park45 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsMira Loma Park43 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
High Point Park19 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Heritage Prairie Conservation Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMaple Prairie Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsEast Madison Little League12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPenn Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsYahara Place Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Hiestand Park64 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsOscar Rennebohm Park19 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBowman Park17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMineral Point Park15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Huegel Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsLaw Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsWestmorland Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Tom George Greenway12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Indian Springs Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
Lucy Lincoln Hiestand Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
Spring Harbor Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSecret Places Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison
Apple Ridge Open Space6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Nakoma Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsIce Age Ridge Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Madison Parks
Glenwood Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHudson Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Alumni Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association
DirectionsAlliant Energy Center155 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Dane County
DirectionsDemetral Field26 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJunction Ridge Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Village Green East Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCapitol Square13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBaxter Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Madison
Heritage Sanctuary10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Northland Manor Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Paunack Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGlacier Crossing Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOdana Hills Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLussier Family Heritage Center7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Dane County Parks
DirectionsWesthaven Trails Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWaltham Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Madison
Sandstone Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Highland Manor Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsCarpenter-Ridgeway Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Patriot Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Madison
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Waunona Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDixon Streets Greenway Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Reservoir Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Library Mall3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHillpoint Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSunset Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWestport Meadows Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Allied Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Henry Mall2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOlin Terrace1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUpper Mud Lake Unit108 acres
DirectionsBlooming Grove Drumlins Natural Resource Area- South Unit91 acres · Dane County
Starkweather Uplands62 acres
DirectionsSycamore Park55 acres
DirectionsHarrison L. Garner Park50 acres
DirectionsDominion Park49 acres
DirectionsGreentree Park43 acres
DirectionsAcewood Park43 acres
DirectionsKennedy Park37 acres
Goodman Park30 acres
DirectionsBlackhawk Park29 acres
DirectionsCherokee Park28 acres
Country Grove Park25 acres
DirectionsKelliher Field23 acres
DirectionsNorth Star Park23 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsYahara River Parkway20 acres
DirectionsBrittingham Park20 acres
DirectionsManchester Park18 acres · City of Madison
Thousand Oaks Park17 acres
Eastmorland Park17 acres
DirectionsMidtown Commons Park16 acres
Glacier Hill Park16 acres
Pilgrim Park14 acres · City of Madison
O.B. Sherry Park14 acres
James Madison Park14 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsFlagstone Park13 acres
DirectionsWingra Park13 acres
DirectionsBurrows Park12 acres
DirectionsHill Creek Park11 acres
Dawley Conservancy Park10 acres
DirectionsRichmond Hill Park10 acres
DirectionsOrchard Ridge Valley Park10 acres
DirectionsWhitetail Ridge Park10 acres
Owl Creek Park9 acres
Arbor Hills Greenway9 acres
DirectionsBurr Jones Field9 acres
DirectionsCardinal Glenn Park8 acres
DirectionsAcer Park (future)8 acres
Westchester Gardens Park8 acres
Bordner Park8 acres · City of Madison
Skyview Park8 acres
Arbor Hills Park7 acres
Droster Park7 acres · City of Madison
Thut Park7 acres
DirectionsMcPike Park7 acres
DirectionsLyckberg Park7 acres · Dane County
DirectionsKingswood Park7 acres
Quarry Cove Park6 acres
DirectionsWashington Manor Park6 acres
DirectionsOdana School Park6 acres
DirectionsHigh Crossing Park6 acres · City of Madison
Haen Family Park6 acres
DirectionsWorthington Park6 acres
DirectionsValley Ridge Park6 acres
Heritage Heights Park5 acres
Sauk Heights Park5 acres
Old Timber Park5 acres · City of Madison
Orton Park5 acres
DirectionsRustic Park5 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsSauk Creek Park5 acres
DirectionsReston Heights Park5 acres
DirectionsLucia Crest Park5 acres · City of Madison Parks
DirectionsMcClellan Park5 acres
Lake Edge Park4 acres
DirectionsKingston Onyx Park4 acres
Kestrel Park4 acres
South & West Shore Park4 acres
DirectionsEverglade Park4 acres
DirectionsBrigham Park4 acres
Portland Park4 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsVillage Park4 acres
Nautilus Point Park3 acres
DirectionsRaemisch Homestead Park3 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsWoods Farm Park3 acres
Sherman Village Park3 acres
DirectionsHoneysuckle Park3 acres
DirectionsIndian Hills Park3 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsReynolds Park3 acres
DirectionsMcGinnis Park3 acres
DirectionsBerkley Park3 acres
DirectionsHeifetz Park3 acres
DirectionsSwallowtail Park3 acres
Meadowood Park3 acres · City of Madison
Flad Park3 acres · City of Madison
Windom Way Park3 acres
DirectionsSandburg Park3 acres
Orchard Ridge Park3 acres · City of Madison
Mayfair Park3 acres
Norman Clayton Park3 acres
Greenside Park3 acres
Badger Park3 acres
DirectionsOdana Hills East Park3 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsWirth Court Park3 acres
DirectionsDe Volis Park3 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsFraust Park3 acres
DirectionsFilene Park3 acres
DirectionsWilliam Slater Park3 acres
DirectionsHammersley Park3 acres
Town Center Park2 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsLake View Heights Park2 acres
Marina Park2 acres
DirectionsChurchill Heights Park2 acres
DirectionsMorningside Retention Park2 acres
DirectionsGalaxy Park2 acres
Eken Park2 acres
DirectionsSegoe Park2 acres
Rimrock Park2 acres
DirectionsSugar Maple Park2 acres
Linden Grove Park2 acres
DirectionsZook Park2 acres
Lerdahl Park2 acres
Sundridge Park2 acres
Newberry Park2 acres
DirectionsBrentwood Park2 acres
Waldorf Park2 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsEdward Klief Park2 acres
DirectionsOntario Park2 acres
American Family Park2 acres
B.B. Clarke Beach Park2 acres
DirectionsBear Mound Park2 acres
DirectionsBritta Park2 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsGiddings Park2 acres · City of Madison
Bernie's Beach Park2 acres
Hiawatha Circle Park2 acres
Ocean Road Park2 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsIsthmus Path Prairie Garden2 acres · John Coleman
DirectionsQuaker Park2 acres
Monona Wetland Conservancy1 acres · City of Monona
Pope Farm Conservancy1 acres
DirectionsSiggelkow Road Park1 acres
DirectionsArrowhead Park1 acres
DirectionsWestern Hills Park1 acres
Wheeler Heights Park1 acres
Pocket Park1 acres
DirectionsEsther Beach Park1 acres
DirectionsStations of the Cross Walking Path1 acres · Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison
DirectionsChurch of God Park1 acres
DirectionsOak Park Heights Park1 acres
Sherwood Forest Park1 acres
Elmside Circle Park1 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsGeorge Reger Park1 acres · Madison Parks
DirectionsHillington Triangle1 acres · City of Madison Parks
Hawthorne Park1 acres
DirectionsCypress Spray Park1 acres
DirectionsEmerson East Park1 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsUnity Park1 acres
DirectionsMerrill Springs Park1 acres · City of Madison
Monona Bay Open Spaces1 acres
Engineering Hall Park1 acres
DirectionsNewville (Kenneth) Park1 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsMorrison Park1 acres · City of Madison
Crazylegs Plaza1 acres
DirectionsWilly Street Park1 acres
DirectionsCapitol Centre Park1 acres · City of Madison
DirectionsTilton Park1 acres · City of Madison Parks Department
DirectionsSheridan Triangle Park1 acres · City of Madison
Elizabeth Link Peace Park1 acres
DirectionsFisher Street Playground1 acres
DirectionsJames A. Graaskamp Park1 acres · Madison Development Group
DirectionsBison Prairie Gateway1 acres
Class of 1920 Memorial Plaza1 acres · University of Wisconsin-Madison
DirectionsWho protects it
6,464 conserved acres
12% of Madison’s land. Water is left out: Madison has 84.2 square miles of land and 21.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Madison’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city4,399 ac
Other state land1,244 ac
State natural resources505 ac
County445 ac
U.S. Forest Service25 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits10 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)7 ac
Local Park · 3,401 acResearch or Educational Area · 965 acLocal Recreation Area · 905 acLocal Conservation Area · 745 acUnknown Easement · 252 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 139 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uw Arboretum Research or Educational Area | Other state land | 939 | Open |
| Yahara Hills Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 446 | Open |
| Lakeshore Preserve Local Park | Other state land | 305 | Open |
| Elver Park Local Park | Town or city | 243 | Open |
| Warner Park Local Park | Town or city | 213 | Open |
| North-East Park Local Park | Town or city | 171 | Open |
| Odana Hills Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 170 | Open |
| Door Creek Park Local Park | Town or city | 162 | Open |
| Blooming Grove Drumlin Local Conservation Area | County | 144 | Open |
| Upper Waubesa Fishery Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 132 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
471 places to go in Madison
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Madison
B.B. Clarke BeachIn B.B. Clarke Beach Park
DirectionsBernie's Beach
DirectionsBrittingham BeachIn Brittingham Park
DirectionsCircle Bench
DirectionsEsther BeachIn Esther Beach Park
DirectionsJames Madison Beach
DirectionsJames Madison Beach
DirectionsJames Madison BeachIn James Madison Park
Directions6 more beaches
Olbrich Beach
DirectionsOlin Beach
DirectionsSpring Harbor Beach
DirectionsVilas Park BeachIn Henry Vilas Park
DirectionsWarner Park BeachIn Warner Park
DirectionsWillow BeachIn Lakeshore Nature Preserve
DirectionsPlus 10 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Swimming spots in Madison
9 swimming spots without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Madison
Adventure Play Area
DirectionsBashford Playground
DirectionsBlessed Sacrament Playground
DirectionsChildren's Activity AreaIn University of Wisconsin Arboretum
DirectionsFrautschi Family Inclusive PlaygroundIn Warner Park
DirectionsHidden Park
DirectionsOscar Rennebohm Park PlaygroundIn Oscar Rennebohm Park
DirectionsReservoir Park playgroundIn Reservoir Park
Directions2 more playgrounds
Splash Pad
DirectionsSt. Dennis Playground
Directions337 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Madison
Brittingham Park Dog Park
DirectionsDemetral Park Dog Off-Leash ParkIn Demetral Field
DirectionsGrand Arbor Reserve Dog Park
DirectionsMadison Boneyard
DirectionsNorth Star Park Dog ParkIn North Star Park
DirectionsOdana School Park Dog ParkIn Odana School Park
DirectionsQuann Park Dog ParkIn Quann Park
DirectionsSycamore Dog ParkIn Sycamore Park
Directions4 more dog parks
Timber Valley Apartments Dog Park
DirectionsWalnut Grove Dog ParkIn Walnut Grove Park
DirectionsWarner Park Dog ParkIn Warner Park
DirectionsYahara Heights County Park Dog ParkIn Yahara Heights County Park
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Madison
Law Park Boat LaunchIn Law Park
DirectionsPlus 21 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Madison
Booth Courtenay Memorial OverlookIn University of Wisconsin Arboretum
DirectionsFrautschi (Second) Point
DirectionsMarshall BoatsFee
DirectionsMonona Terrace Rooftop Terrace
DirectionsMonona Terrace Rooftop Terrace
DirectionsMuir KnollIn Lakeshore Nature Preserve
DirectionsObservatory Hill OverlookIn Lakeshore Nature Preserve
DirectionsPicnic Point
Directions5 more scenic views
Polar Bears
DirectionsProgress PointIn Alumni Park
DirectionsRaymer's CoveIn Lakeshore Nature Preserve
DirectionsSunset PointIn Hoyt Park
DirectionsTenney Park Breakwater
DirectionsPlus 16 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Madison
Eagle Heights1,010 ft elevation · In Lakeshore Nature Preserve
DirectionsBascom Hill951 ft elevation
DirectionsObservatory Hill951 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Madison
10 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Madison
Lake Farm County Park CampgroundIn William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park · Dane County Parks
DirectionsPlus 3 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Madison
Capital Springs Disc Golf CourseFee · In Capital Springs State Recreation Area · Dane Country Parks
DirectionsElver Park Disc Golf CourseFee · In Elver Park · Madison Parks
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Madison
Badger Fountain of Life Community Garden
DirectionsCommunity Garden at Heifetz Park
DirectionsQuann Community GardensIn Quann Park
DirectionsRain gardenFriends of Lake Wingra
DirectionsReynolds Community Garden
DirectionsRooted: Troy Community GardensFee · Rooted
DirectionsRooted: Troy FarmRooted
DirectionsPlus 11 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 27 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 9.1 miUnpaved · 80.3 mi
Ice Age Trail2.9 mi
Forest Loop1.4 mi
Lake Loop1.3 mi
E-Way Trail1.0 mi
Lussier-Drumlin Trail0.8 mi
Walnut Loop0.7 mi
Outer Limits0.6 mi
Cherokee Marsh Trail (south0.5 mi
L6-L80.5 mi
Ball Field Loop0.5 mi
15 more trails
Oak Loop
0.5 miPrairie Loop
0.5 miCherokee Marsh Trail (south)
0.4 miOwen Trail
0.4 miG4-L4
0.4 miE5-E8
0.4 miStaircase Trails
0.4 miJ4-J5
0.3 miM1-N5
0.3 miB5-A6
0.3 miHawk's Loop
0.3 miB8-A9
0.3 miJ2-J3
0.3 miG6-G1
0.3 miOuter Limit
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
American Family PondpondAutumn LakepondCoyote PondpondCurtis PondpondEast PondpondEdgewood PondpondHagenah FountainHo Nee Um PondpondLake MendotalakeLake MononalakeLake WingralakeMorse PondpondOdana PondpondPond 2pondSpring HarborSpring Trail PondpondStevens PondpondTeal PondpondTenney LockTenney Park LagoonVilas LagoonWarner Park LagoonWest PondpondWetland KoipondPheasant Branch CreekWingra CreekYahara River
Biking & sports
345 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
206 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
104 mi
off-road bike paths
36 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
186Tennis
168Basketball
98Soccer
61Baseball
30Beach volleyball
22Pickleball
15Softball
11Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →143 places on the National Register, 9 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 81 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
★
University of Wisconsin Armory and GymnasiumNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 1993
About it★
Jacobs, Herbert and Katherine, First HouseNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 2003
About it★
Jacobs, Herbert and Katherine, Second HouseNational Historic Landmark · Building · listed 2003
About itOld SynagogueBuilding · listed 1970
About itCamp RandallSite · listed 1971
About itState Historical Society of WisconsinBuilding · listed 1972
About it131 more on the History page.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Madison
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 | 15.1 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 28 | 32 | 44 | 58 | 70 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 45 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
January is the driest month (1.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Madison →
Next door
Madison and its neighbors
Madison has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Madison155 miWestport28 miVerona22 miFitchburg19 miMiddleton18 miBurke10 miBlooming Grove8.5 miMonona3.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | 12% | 1.8 | 24 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Burke | 13% | 0.8 | 409 | 92% | A |
| Blooming Grove | 33% | 3.7 | 281 | 98% | A+ |
| Westport | 15% | 1.4 | 413 | 95% | A+ |
| Monona | 22% | 1.0 | 57 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Fitchburg | 8% | 0.5 | 46 | 94% | A |
| Middleton | 16% | 1.9 | 53 | 94% | A+ |
| Verona | 5% | 1.0 | 190 | 63% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Madison
Where can I hike in Madison?
The longest trail networks: University of Wisconsin Arboretum, 12.7 miles; Lakeshore Nature Preserve, 10.7 miles; Elver Park, 7.8 miles; William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park, 5.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Madison is conserved land?
12% 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 Madison’s trails?
University of Wisconsin Arboretum and Lakeshore Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Madison?
345 miles of bike routes are on the map: 206 of painted or protected lanes, 104 of off-road paths and 36 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Madison?
31,457 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Madison or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 7,503 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Madison have?
Ahead of 95% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #22 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 Madison 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 →