Waterloo Wildlife Area
Managed by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
2,674 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: self · CC BY-SA 2.5–Not graded
Outdoors in Waterloo
Few parks or trails are on the map in Waterloo
20% of Waterloo’s land is conserved, about 4,113 acres. 227 acres are parks and preserves, 244 per 1,000 residents. 4.9 miles of mapped trail cross Waterloo, 0.2 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
20%
4,113 acres · of 32.3 sq mi of land
Trails
4.9 mi
0.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
227 ac
244 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
15%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
0.6 mi
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
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Waterloo Prairie State Natural Area
Nature preserve
214 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Holzhueter Farm Conservation Park
Managed by Jefferson County
113 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
4,113 conserved acres
20% of Waterloo’s land. Who manages Waterloo’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources5,590 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)1,135 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits505 ac
County47 ac
Private owners2 ac
State Conservation Area · 2,811 acState Recreation Area · 2,698 acConservation Easement · 1,301 acAgricultural Easement · 358 acState Park · 109 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,297 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo - Mud Lake Wildlife Area State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 2,657 | Open |
| Waterloo Wildlife Area State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 2,542 | Restricted |
| Waterloo Wildlife Area 16 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 177 | Open |
| Holzhueter Farm State Park State Park | State natural resources | 109 | Open |
| Scattered Wildlife State Conservation Area | County | 49 | Restricted |
| Waterloo Wildlife Area 13 State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 45 | Open |
| Scattered Wildlife - Sd State Recreation Area | State natural resources | 42 | Open |
Biking & sports
0.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
St. Wenceslaus Roman Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1975
About itWhen to get out
September is the best month for walking in Waterloo
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) | 27 | 32 | 44 | 57 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 60 | 45 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
February is the driest month (1.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 5.1 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Waterloo →
Next door
Waterloo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Portland | 10% | under 0.1 | 150 | 9% | B− |
| Milford | 1% | 0.1 | under 1 | 1% | D |
| Lake Mills | 18% | 0.3 | 705 | 71% | A |
| Medina | 3% | 0.6 | 108 | 23% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Waterloo
Are dogs allowed on Waterloo’s trails?
Waterloo Wildlife Area and Waterloo Prairie State Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Waterloo?
0.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Waterloo?
14,598 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Waterloo or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 227 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Waterloo 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 →