Arboretum

Great trails on very different ecosystems

No trip to Madison is ever complete without a half day spent walking around the grounds and trails of the Arboretum

This place has 5 stars for a reason. Well… for many reasons. It has beautiful scenery, amazing hiking trails, and nice facilities. Great for a run, bike, hike, walk, or whatever you feel. It changes seasonally, each time with a new, amazing aura. A true gem.

I have been going to the Arboretum for many years. There are tons of hiking trails. Some get more congested than others, especially on the more beautiful days. I like going in the evening when it's a little cooler on hotter days. I've seen this place evolve over the years and change. But it's never not been beautiful. There's a sense of peace there, at least when it's not overly crowded. They do have guided tours and such but I haven't done one of those in many years. I like to just grab my walking stick and hike the trails. One thing that keeps bringing me back here is a supernatural experience I had one time. Not to scare people away or anything, it wasn't sinister I don't believe, but it definitely wasn't natural either. That's a fun story... Anyway, I highly recommend this place. You can ride your bike down the concrete road that runs through it as well. Many, many people do. As for the public restrooms, after the building closes at 4:00 p.m., there are two porta potties outside and one of them is a handicapped one as well. So if you show up in the evening and need to use one, there are two to choose from. I don't know when they empty them, but they have been there for a long time so I assume weekly or something. Also, you have to watch for animals on the road and along the path as well. There is a section that has a posted sign telling you to watch for turtles and there are lots of wild turkeys that run around sometimes too. Sometimes I'll see a bunch and sometimes I won't see any, but they are definitely there. They don't typically harass people but it's not wise to provoke them either. Just keep your distance and enjoy seeing them in their natural habitat. Sorry for the huge block of text. Using talk to text on my phone and kind of in a hurry. If I remember, I'll try to come back and edit this, format it better and correct any spelling or grammar errors there may be. 🙂🙂🙂

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