60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison

This guide to 60 of the best hikes in the Madison area leads you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings.

It’s Time to Take a Hike in Madison, Wisconsin!

The best way to experience Madison is by hiking it. Get outdoors with local author and hiking expert Kevin Revolinski, with the full-color edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected trails transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body.

Take in the migrating birds and wetlands in Horicon Marsh. See the beautiful deer and prairie flowers in New Glarus Woods. Find peace along Rowan Creek, and glimpse trout flitting in the shadows. Mark the last advance of the glaciers in Kettle Moraine State Forest. Enjoy an easy stroll close to home, such as Picnic Point along Lake Mendota. Or challenge yourself on the 18-mile hike of the Ice Age Trail segment that climbs both 500-foot bluffs at Devil’s Lake State Park. With Kevin as your guide, you’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of Mad City’s best hikes!

Each hike description features key at-a-glance information on distance, difficulty, scenery, traffic, hiking time, and more, so you can quickly and easily learn about each trail. Detailed directions, GPS-based trail maps, and elevation profiles help to ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. Tips on nearby activities further enhance your enjoyment of every outing. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor to the area, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Madison provides plenty of options for a couple hours or a full day of adventure, all within about an hour from Madison and the surrounding communities.

Overview Map

Overview-Map Key

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

60 Hikes by Category

Introduction

Madison Metro

• Arboretum: Greene Prairie
• Arboretum: Wingra Marsh
• Arboretum: Wingra Woods
• Cherokee Marsh North
• Cherokee Marsh South
• Edna Taylor Conservation Park (with Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Woodland Park)
• Elver Park
• Lagoons Trail
• Lewis Nine Springs E-Way Trail
• Olin Park and Turville Point Conservation Park
• Owen Conservation Park
• Pheasant Branch Conservancy (with Pheasant Branch Creek Trail)
• Picnic Point
• Pope Farm Park
• Tenney Park to Schenk’s Corners
• Token Creek
• Tom George Greenway

Northwest

• Black Hawk Unit: Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
• Devil’s Lake State Park: East Bluff
• Devil’s Lake State Park: West Bluff
• Ferry Bluff
• Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area
• Governor Nelson State Park
• Ice Age Trail: Cross Plains Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Devil’s Lake Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Fern Glen Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Gibraltar Rock Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Lodi Marsh Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Table Bluff Segment
• Indian Lake County Park
• Mirror Lake State Park
• Natural Bridge State Park
• Rocky Arbor State Park
• Rowan Creek Trail
• Swan Lake State Wildlife Area

Southwest

• Blue Mound State Park
• Donald County Park
• Governor Dodge State Park: Lost Canyon Trail
• Governor Dodge State Park: White Oak Trail
• Ice Age Trail: Brooklyn Wildlife Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Montrose Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Verona Segment
• Magnolia Bluff Park
• New Glarus Woods State Park
• Stewart County Park
• Yellowstone Lake State Park

Northeast

• Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area
• Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

Southeast

• Aztalan State Park
• Badfish Creek Trail
• CamRock Park: Area 2
• Glacial Drumlin State Trail
• Ice Age Trail: Devil’s Staircase Segment
• Ice Age Trail: Whitewater Lake Segment
• Kettle Moraine State Forest: John Muir Trail
• Kettle Moraine State Forest: Lapham Peak Unit
• Kettle Moraine State Forest: Nordic Trails
• Kettle Moraine State Forest: Scuppernong Trail
• Lake Kegonsa State Park
• Lower Yahara River Trail

Appendixes and Index

• Appendix A: Hiking Stores
• Appendix B: Map Stores
• Appendix C: Hiking Clubs
• Index

About the Author

Map Legend

Acknowledgments