Dane County Parks
Fun Spring Field Trips for Everyone at Dane County Parks!
Friday, May 9th | Evening Birding at Nine Springs | We will visit one of the more interesting birding spots in the Madison area to search for shorebirds, herons, cranes, terns, swallows and waterfowl. Meet at 6:30 p.m. at the E-Way parking lot along the Capitol City Bike Trail on Moorland Rd. For more information, contact: Steve Thiessen (608)873-3323 |
Thursday, May 15th | Evening at Token Creek | Token Creek County Park's varied habitat holds species such as Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird and several species of flycatchers. Meet at 6:30 p.m. at the parking lot of the first building, Token Creek County Park - entrance is 1/2 mile north from I-90-94 on Hwy 51. For more information, contact: Ed Saur (608)846-4482 |
Thursday, May 29th | Evening at Pheasant Branch | Migrating spring warblers, vireos and thrushes will be the focus of our search, but we'll probably find other interesting birds and sights. Meet at 6:00 p.m. at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Middleton - 1 1/2 miles north on Pheasant Branch Rd from Century Ave. Go to the third conservancy parking lot on the right after you pass the Conservancy Condominiums. For more information, contact: Mike McDowell (608)850-4122 or mmcdowell@tds.net |
Year-Round Activities
Year-round recreational opportunities abound throughout the Dane County Park System. Whether you enjoy fast-paced physical fun or quiet enjoyment, Dane County Parks offer you countywide locations for quick get-aways from urban settings and offer custom-built recreational facilities amid splendid natural beauty. Imagine all you can do year-round throughout the Dane County Park System.
Winter can be one of the most
exciting times of the year. Miles of specially groomed trails winding through dense
woodlands, rolling hills and open meadows provide snowmobilers or cross-country skiers
with boundless views and ideal conditions. Smooth, white blankets of snow contrast with
the diversity of structural shapes, bark colors and textures of trees and shrubbery.
Winter is an ideal time for following animal tracks in freshly fallen snow, for quiet
walks, ice fishing, or observing winter birds, wildlife and plants. Contact the County
Park Office for additional information on winter programs.
Spring reveals to nature lovers the wonders of new life uncovered from the
melting blanket of white. Colorful blooming buds and wildflowers, bright green leaf blades
poking up through wetland, woods and prairie floors, and the sounds of songbirds marched
with warming winds and waters add to the total delight of springtime in the parks.
Summer seems to bring out the
best in everything. Dane County parks provide areas for fast-paced volleyball, basketball, softball,
horseshoes and tennis as well as quiet areas for picnics, crackling
campfires, fishing and hiking. Whether you come to enjoy the happy sounds and smells of
picnics or parties or prefer to focus on the sights and sounds of birds, insects or
vegetation along shorelines, winding trails or a wetland boardwalk, you'll find ideal
settings amid the natural beauty of the parks.
Fall means brilliant colors in
Dane County skies, waters, forests and fields. Bright orange, white, yellow, purple, red
and bluish-black berries abound. Scampering animals harvest the ripened berries, nuts and
seeds among quietly drying grasses, plant stalks and newly fallen leaves. Grand overlooks
from bluffs or observatory towers reveal broad, colorful views of Wisconsin landscapes.
What a perfect time to inhale nature's beauty and what perfect places...Dane County
Parks!
Dane County's Commitment
Dane County continues to improve its facilities to provide access for everyone. We strive to go above and beyond the requirements mandated by the American Disabilities Act and to make park and natural areas activities a joy for all. Special facilities include a boardwalk through the sedge meadow marsh at Token Creek Park and fully accessible fishing piers at the Babcock, Fish Camp, Salmo Pond, and Token Creek County Parks. A special fishing facility to be completed by the spring of 1998 at the Jenni and Kyle Preserve will be intended for the exclusive use by children and people with disabilities. Call the Dane County Parks Department office at (608)246-3896 for more information about the many fully accessible facilities in our park system.
Special Recognition
The Dane County Park Commission gives special recognition to the following people who generously donated land to the Dane County Park System:
Otto Festge, John Holtzman, Phillip & Isabel LaFollette, Russell & Ella McCarthy, Marcella Pendall, The Donald/Woodburn Family, The Wrolstad Family
