We had a family reunion here on one of the hottest, stickiest days of the summer. It was one of…read morethose days when an afternoon picnic outside doesn't sound the most appealing and you ask yourself what your family would think of you if you show up in a swimming suit, carrying a bucket of ice water. The shelter we reserved is on the northeast side of the lake (though I question how this qualifies as a lake - more like a pond in my mind) and with a hillside just to the east of it, the shelter was as good as air-conditioned! Hallelujah! There was a cool breeze thanks to the lake and since the shelter was shaded for half of the day, it wasn't until 3pm when the space finally started feeling too warm. The proximity of the shelter was also great as the Monticello Public Pool is right across the road and the kids were able to go enjoy a pool day once they were finished chasing toads around the pond (sorry Freddie the Toady Toad. Also, sorry the kids couldn't decide on a better name).

Went hiking here in the snow on a weekend and got a very good workout. The path was paved pretty…read morewell, but it is still climbing a bluff and we had a dog pulling us all the way up. When you get to the top, there is a great view of the countryside. Only comment is that the way down was a little treacherous with the snow-covered steps and ground. Also with the snow, only the lower lot was open, but well plowed, unlike some of the other parks we've been at recently.

I really love this park. In high school, we would come out here often when the weather was nice to…read moreclimb around on the bluffs and explore. I've continued to come out here, not as frequently, but when I get the chance. The park itself has some large bluffs. There is parking down below them, or you can drive up a steep winding narrow roadway to a large parking area up top. Once you're up there, there is a large green space with lots of tall mature trees that provide nice shade cover on hot summer days. There are picnic tables and an outhouse style restroom available. As you walk out towards the edge of the bluff, the trees clear and there is a nice view of the surrounding farmland. The bluffs are really cool to check out. Years ago, we would climb all over them. Now, due to safety concerns, they have the area marked off. Makes sense. There are also a lot of trails to walk along back in the wooded area that sits behind the clearing. A lot of these trails are also equestrian trails, so you must be on the lookout for horse poo! I really enjoy bringing my dog out here and cutting him loose in the woods. He never gets too far, and it's a great place for him to explore! The park is open year round, however the drive to the top does get gated off during the winter. You have to make the trek up on your own!

This is a lovely little park on Decatur Lake, at the Dam. There are some really impressive bluffs…read moreand cliffs. Be careful, they're easy to fall down! It's a nice place for a picnic lunch if you are in the area. Hint: On the other side of the dam, to the east, is the mill race park. This is a beautiful long mill race that used to deliver water to the old mill and hydro plant down river in the city of Brodhead. It's a great place for a walk, dog friendly, and very nice kayaking! Just lovely

I have been going to Paradise Park campground every summer for the last 7 years. I organize a…read morelarge group and we all stay and camp for a few days. The facility is great with a beach, park and 2 fishing ponds. The convenient store is small but has the most important thing when camping ICE! They have convenient bathrooms and showers. The staff is very nice and have always been very accomidating to our large group. I have already booked our trip for this year and as long as nothing changes we are already planning to return for many years to come.

Was a seasonal camper for 6 years. Camp on the higher ground if possible as heavy rains easily…read moreflood the lower campgrounds. There is a HUGE Yellow Jacket Wasp population necessitating yearly wasp and hornet killer treatments of your camper if you plan on being seasonal. Many activities for families with younger children; my teenagers were bored out of their minds. Tubing on the river is a better option than the man made lake and beach that is taken over by the wasps in late summer through closing season. Convenience store is a huge plus and serves food. Park is well kept up overall though public restrooms need a good facelift. Seasonal pricing is a bit on the high side IMHO. Staff is nice.

This is a really neat park on the Sugar River. It starts at the "head gates" for the once brodhead…read moremill and hydro project. The park is a trail along the raceway, or mill race. This is essentially a man made canal that provides water to the mill pond in Brodhead. It is a lovely walk, very scenic with numerous wetlands, woodland, farmland, ending with a lovely stroll along the canal into the village of Brodhead. Here, along one side of the canal are numerous fun homes reminiscent of the canals in Amsterdam. If you choose to walk or kayak, once in Brodhead, stroll downtown to a local cafe or restaurant. Hint: This is a GREAT trip for a fun outdoor date! Even if the date doesn't go well, the scenery is lovely and you can enjoy the walk back alone. It's a 4+ mile roundtrip. Easy hike with gravel two lane path. Hint: Hint: oooh...you discovered the super double secret hint! This is a great place to bring your dog. Lots of room to run big! Fetch, swimming, ducks, and the water is clean so, your dog can enjoy itself! Hint: Hint: Hint: A super triple secret hint? Say it isn't so! Kayakers - pay attention! Here is an INCREDIBLE opportunity for kayaking that requires no shuttling! Put your boat in here, paddle up river a short distance (no current here) to the decatur tap, portage the dam, paddle down the Sugar River to where the race rejoins the Sugar River. Then paddle up the race to Brodhead dam. Portage the dam and bing bang boom, you're back on the race! Now it's an easy paddle up the race back to the head gates where your car is parked, waiting for you, with a cooler of beer in trunk! Cheers, you earned it! Hint 4X: A quadruple hint-o-rama....be still my palpating heart....If you want to get into kayaking and kayak this in a group, check out the Mad City Paddlers website for group kayaking and canoe trips! Or, send me an email, I kayak this at least once a year :)

This place is great for a hike. Winding trails that cut through lush woods and alongside the river…read more Highly recommend to take a relaxing hike.

Absolutely beautiful great hiking, great camping, we went for years and the people were kind and…read morefriendly.

We stopped by to watch a baseball game of a friends while on the way to another event near by. An…read moreOK park. The parking lot was full so we had to park near by and walk which was a pain. Just an ok park in my mind.

I am a tad confused why a public park in a small town would need or want reviews, but I'll hop on…read morethat wagon. Fair disclosure: We live within walking distance of this park, so our review is probably biased. The place is just plain cool. Large structures with almost any type of climbing, sliding, or running doodad you can think of. The build is solid, and it is incredibly well maintained. The surrounding ball fields are just as nice. Fenced in to keep the local canines from stealing your balls, and ample parking for large events like Rugby or Soccer tournaments. This is also where the town has their annual Fireman's Festival put on by the local fire department. The festival has been struggling the last years but they just recently took the time to revise the company providing the rides, and brought back the Fireworks so it is a ton better (a trend we hope they continue). The only thing lacking is access to public bathrooms. Unless there is an event going on, they are locked. I am sure it's for safety reasons, but it sucks if you have a need to lose some weight pretty quickly.... If you are in from out of town visiting family and have younger kids, this place is definitely worth taking a short jaunt to. If you don't live in or aren't visiting CG, I wouldn't say it's worth a dedicated drive unless you are attending an event.

We have passed by this park a number of times but had never stopped. It doesn't have the Wow…read morefactor of many of the other great state parks in Wisconsin. But we finally went here to meet friends on a warm late May Sunday for a hike. We did the big loop around the perimeter of the park about 5 miles - boy there are a lot of hills. Very deceptive. The trails are well marked and in good shape. We did see the walk-in camping spots which looked interesting and somewhat private but pretty close to highway 69. There was a small picnic area where we ate our lunch afterward - it was nice enough. Overall not a bad park but it just doesn't have the big draw of nearby parks like Blue Mounds, Gov Dodge, Mirror Lake, etc.

This is definitely a five star state park one of the best and it is nice and quiet perfect camping…read moreand three minutes from A Culvers some of the best scenic camping and backpacking I've seen in a long time right off the roads that sounds nice and loud like a waterfall it's tops

When to Tower Hill State Park for the very first time back in October of last year and I absolutely…read morefalling love with this beautiful state park. It's definitely one of my all time favorite of the Wisconsin State Parks that I've been to so far. I would definitely love to go back to Tower Hill again in the future.

Nice "little" State Park. Small compared to other state parks such as Devil's Lake or Governor…read moreDodge... but it packs a lot of punch. Great Vista, trails are easy to navigate and it looks like there is much needed trail maintenance and repair going on. This is a great little stop if your looking for a mile or two hike when in the area. If you're into camping there are campsites at this property, albeit reservations are required!