Wisconsin has always been a great state for outdoor adventure, from hiking and fishing to rafting and mountain biking. And in winter, when the landscape is blanketed in snow, even more opportunities to experience the great outdoors present themselves. 

It's time to strap on your snowshoes and join us on the trail. 

Best Snowshoe Trails in Madison

Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - Madison, WI

Address: 6098 N Sherman Ave, Madison, WI 53704

Consisting of three separate park units throughout the Madison area, Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park is a spectacular network of parklands spanning over 2,000 acres. The park's North Unit, located alongside the Yahara River and accessible via Sherman Avenue, is especially attractive to snowshoers and winter hikers, offering an extensive system of ungroomed trails. The park's South Unit has a designated snowshoe trail accessible from the parking lot at School Road and Wheeler Road.

Door Creek Park - Madison, WI

Address: Door Creek Park, 7035 Littlemore Dr, Madison, WI 53718

Nestled in the Door Creek neighborhood on the east side of Madison, Door Creek Park encompasses about 160 acres of woods and fields in a picturesque valley. A recently expanded trail network makes it a popular winter hike destination in Madison, and snowshoeing is permitted throughout the park, except on groomed cross-country trails.

Token Creek County Park - DeForest, WI

Address: 6200 Williamsburg Way, DeForest, WI 53532

Token Creek County Park is a lovely 418-acre park less than 25 minutes north of Madison. It's one of the most popular parks in the area in winter, with separate trail loops for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The park also offers five large shelters (amenities may be limited in winter) as well as a dog park. 

University of Wisconsin Arboretum - Madison, WI

Address: 1207 Seminole Hwy, Madison, WI 53711

Fully open to the public year-round, the University of Wisconsin Arboretum is one of the best destinations for winter hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing within Madison's city limits. This sprawling landscape of woods and meadows includes 17 miles of trails for hiking and over 10 miles for ski/snowshoe use. 

Indian Lake County Park - Cross Plains, WI

Address: 8183 WI-19, Cross Plains, WI 53528

One of Dane County's largest parks, Indian Lake County Park, is a great destination for snowshoeing. Located about 20 miles north of Madison, the park boasts trails encircling its namesake lake and traversing a beautifully preserved grassland. Winter opportunities here include:

• 1.4-mile designated snowshoe loop
• Part of the 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail
• Log cabin warming house and sledding hill

The park shares a border with Halfway Prairie Wildlife Area, which offers additional snowshoe opportunities. 

Blue Mounds State Park - Blue Mounds, WI

Address: 4350 Mounds Park Rd, Blue Mounds, WI 53517

Equally alluring in winter or summer, Blue Mounds State Park is an expansive park of rolling, wooded hills and valleys. More than 20 miles of trails criss-cross its wild landscape, including a 0.75-mile loop and a 3-mile loop designated for snowshoeing. Additional trails are available for cross-country skiing and fat-tire mountain biking. 

Capital Springs Recreation Area - Madison, WI

Address: 3102 Lake Farm Road, Madison, WI 53711

Sprawling across 2,700 acres just outside of Madison, Capital Springs Recreation Area is a wild area that offers excellent wildlife viewing, fishing, and cross-country skiing opportunities in addition to snowshoeing. Several snowshoe loops meander through the park's wooded landscape and cross into neighboring William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park.

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