I moved to Madison about three weeks ago, and I've been trying to find parks and trails in my…read moreneighborhood. This is a tucked-away gem that I would recommend to others! I found it after I stumbled upon a connection point into the South Arboretum trail, at a connection to the Cannonball trail. It's a short walk through the forest, but there's no rush. Enjoy the walk!

I've been trying to check out different parks and natural areas near my home now that it's warming…read moreup again, and Knollwood, over in the Arbor Hills neighborhood, is a nice little gem. There's only about a mile of trails, but the black oaks and sand prairie are beautiful to wander through on a warm spring day.

This is a great mountain biking trail system in Fitchburg. Right off Fitchrona, there's a decent…read moreparking lot to park your car/truck. The trailhead is just beyond the bathrooms. They have a fun selection of singletrack trails from beginner to the more advanced. The trails are nicely maintained and fun to ride. Cyclists are friendly and will let you pass if they're moving a little slower than you. This is a family trail system , with lots of levels of difficulty. Perfect for groups of people of different riding levels. The fall colors are just starting, so the trails are really pretty this time of year. Please keep it clean out there and ride only when it's dry. That helps keep the trail safe for riders out there. The little pond is really scenic when the sun is setting in the evening. There are lots of fun turns and some obstacles too. Watch the signs and have fun!

I was in the area picking something up and decided to take a short walk through this park. My…read morenephews and I used to come here in Spring when everything was still covered in snow, and in winter, the park is popular for cross-country skiing, so I'm quite familiar with it. I've also attended a foraging class here through the Madison Public Library, which was a great experience. The trails are easy to walk, but keep an eye out for black walnuts that ripen and drop onto the ground--you could easily step on one and twist an ankle (as I unfortunately did). Along the way, you might spot squirrels and hear birds singing in the bushes. I even came across some mushrooms, which reminded me of the foraging class. There's a restroom facility and a pond nearby, and in winter, local families love coming here for sledding on hill. I've done it myself--it's a lot of fun, just make sure to protect your back on the way down! Don't say I didn't warn you!

I went recently to try out the ice skating and had a blast. It cost 6$ to rent ice skates and you…read morecould skate for as long as you want until the rental place closed. If you have your own skates you can skate for as long as you want. They have 2 rinks, one for regular ice skating and the other for hockey. They have the green assistance rollators, for when you need assistance ice skating, that are useful. The ice was chipped in some areas, but overall good quality. There is a huge hill close by that looks like it can be sledded when there's more snow.

Cute park for kids, port-a- potty, little old and rickety but still fun for little kids, not for…read morebig kids- for age 10 max

This is one of 5 "Dream Parks" in Dane County. They all were community built. The playground is…read moretruly huge and has tons for kids from 18 months and up to explore. Bring a picnic, there are plenty of places to sit.

Wonderful park for the little ones. There are two separate play areas. The park is fully fenced so…read moreyou don't have to worry about the kiddos running into the street. The equipment is unique and great for the little ones who love to climb.

If you have kids who are just walking, up to about 3 or 4, this is the best small park in Madison…read morefor them to play that I know of. It is extremely well designed for the toddler crowd. It is totally gated, so no one can make a run for the street. The equipment is interesting and exciting to kids without posing almost any danger, and from 18 months on, they can do almost everything themselves. There are no swings you have to push them on, no ladders you have to hover over while they climb. Just sit on one of the many benches and relax! If you live within a mile or two, and are in charge of some people in diapers, do yourself a favor and find this little patch of fun tucked just outside the elementary school grounds.

Hoyt park is one of many sneaky natural treasures tucked away within the city of Madison. Easy to…read moremiss, but absolutely worth searching out. I hadn't been to the park in ages, in fact, when looking at the map earlier in the day I'd forgotten that I'd been there before. This is probably because we'd stopped and spent some time at the main shelter, but didn't really check out the rest of the park. Shame on me! We missed out back then; not only does the trail make for a lovely and mostly shady walk, but the history here is fantastic. The park was once a quarry, and it shows because this local stone was used throughout. You can access the park from three areas. First is a footpath next to Hoyt School on Regent Street (street parking only here). The primary entrance is a bit farther up Regent Street, and here is where you'll find the parking lot and the main facilities for the park. Lastly, you can hike down from the the scenic outlook at Owen Parkway. There is limited parking up there and on the street by Hoyt School, so I'd suggest the main lot. Hoyt offers a bit of something for everyone. As you pull into the parking lot you'll notice the stone shelter and restroom facility. There are enough picnic tables in the shelter for a good sized get together (reservable) and a large fireplace on each end. While we were there I saw two different groups cook up something on a teeny fire in there. There's a children's playground near the parking lot, more picnic tables scattered about, and a large open grassy area for soccer, lawn games or frisbee. A basketball court and softball field round out the sporting options. Also, as of June 2015, this is one of 10 Madison parks that will be participating in a pilot program for slacklining sites in the city. Neat! The trail (about a mile total) is a mix of paved and unpaved surfaces. It weaves through the trees and rock formations in a way that really maximizes the 31 acres the park sits on. There are picnic areas with stone fireplaces and tables tucked here and there, and a second shelter full of picnic tables down the path into the woods. A smaller clearing past this shelter opens to a restored prairie area, which was loaded with flowers and butterflies when my friend and I walked through. I noted a few benches here and there where one could sit and watch the pollinators at work. There were raspberries everywhere! At one point we walked past old mossy quarry walls, and up/down stone stairways. There were wildflowers all along the trail, which always makes me happy. We shared the trail with a number of people running through the park or walking their dogs. But beware! Technically dogs are only allowed along Owen Parkway and must be leashed while there (via City of Madison website). I don't know how strict they are at the park if you're caught. Regardless, I was pleased to see so many people using the park in a couple hours time. Unfortunately there are some signs of vandalism once you get into the woods. There are not-so-pretty patches in the fencing where people have tried to get through to the blocked off lower quarry area, and some of the beautiful stone tables have been spray painted. Hopefully the Friends of Hoyt Park are on top of these things; from what I read they're pretty active.

We stumbled upon this while staying nearby. It's a nice place to go to forget you are in a city and…read morehas many hidden gems if you have time to look around. There is a pyramid hidden there if you are fortunate enough to find it.

what a beautiful park! great at all times of day i assume, lots of green space to sit down and…read morestare at the lake!

We came for the beach. Maps said it had one. It was so tiny, filled with seaweed, dog poop, and…read moregarbage. A huge dumpster is sitting right next to it where people were dumpster diving. We did play at the playground for a few minutes. It was fine, but small and some parts were broken. There were spiders and wasps, but not many. There were a lot of young people there playing different sports and walking/running on the trail so if you are looking for that type of fun this will be a great place. It's a large space. We wouldn't go back. My kids kept asking to leave.