University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum

Brandon Morgan 4 months ago

Honestly, this would only be a 4 for me based on the trees/trails alone: which do feature an outstanding abundance of wildlife (I saw deer on 4 different parts of the trail, lots of birds up close, wild turkeys, a turtle, a duck, and some super-adorable chipmunks just chillin right on the trail); but are also fairly buggy and a bit overgrown, not really all that "scenic," and offer very little excitement/variety in terms of the terrain. Still, the top notch wildlife + a few scattered pretty spots throughout do merit a solid 4 stars for the trails in my opinion, and then the awesome person working the gift shop easily tipped the arboretum as a whole to a 5 by throwing in a free (normally $10) poster when I mentioned to her that I always try to pick up something to mark each attraction/location I visit while road-tripping. (What an awesome gesture!) I feel like one of the most underrated joys of road tripping is meeting/interacting-with so many lovely kind-hearted people all over the country, and this was definitely one of those moments, so that super warm and welcoming gesture certainly stood out in the best possible way and made my visit to the UW arboretum significantly more speci

Mark Buehl 5 months ago

The UW Arboretum is a Madison treasure! Spring time brings lots of color and wonderful smells as you walk among the flowering trees and bushes. The drive along Lake Wingra to get to the Arboretum is really nice. The Arboretum is also nice to bike or walk to if you feel so inclined. If you are thinking of getting a tree for your place, you can walk through the Arboretum to see trees to get an idea of what you would want. They do have a visitor center. Overall the Arboretum is a fantastic place to visit, spend some time walking around and just relaxing among nature.

Katie Berglin a year ago

Beautiful spot for engagement and wedding photos. So grateful that we are able to walk the paths and have a beautiful backdrop no matter what direction you turn. Don't forget to obtain a photo permit in advance!

Paul and Lillian Bruns 2 years ago

We came here to hike on a Thursday in January. The trails were well marked even with a touch of snow, wide and easy to follow. If the ground wasn't frozen it would have been muddy in a few areas. There was a long drive in to the visitors center, but several marked parking areas. We enjoyed walking through several small biomes within the park. Each was diverse. We saw deer, squirrels, turkey, and even a coyote. Dogs are not permitted which really helps with being able to spot and enjoy local wildlife.

Amaranth Sander 4 years ago

Incredible arboretum. Walking through the prairies was absolutely magical. So many beautiful flowers, grasses, and insects. The colors were incredible, the paths were nice to follow, and there were good signs around. The pond had such an amazing variety of colorful dragonflies. I would come here again in a heartbeat and explore more of it. So nice on a summer day. Walking through the pines was nice and cool even though it was a pretty hot day.