Celebrate National Park & Recreation Month by exploring Madison Parks with a self-guided nature walk on any day in July. 

Tenney Park, 1330 Sherman Avenue
Butterflies and Their Host Plants
Take a beautiful nature walk at Tenney Park to enjoy looking at the native Wisconsin flowers, grasses, trees, and shrubs that Wisconsin butterflies and other wildlife need for their life cycles. Can you find a Monarch Butterfly?  What kind of plant is it sitting on? Use a guidebook or the internet to look up butterflies and plants!  

Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North, 6098 N Sherman Avenue
Take a Frog Hop
Explore Cherokee Marsh and look for frogs and other aquatic life along the beautiful winding marsh trails and boardwalks.  
Frogs and toads are calling and tadpoles are hatching. Be careful where you step and watch for them hopping about!  Can you find a Frog?  A Toad?  What's the difference? Use a guidebook or the internet to look up facts about frogs! 

Owen Conservation Park, 6021 Old Sauk Road
History of Owen Prairie
Take a beautiful nature hike in the Kettle and Moraine landscape on Madison's west side to learn about the prairie restoration history at Owen Conservation Park. Can you see where there was a transformation from agricultural cropland and pasture into prairies and oak openings?

Turville Point Conservation Park, 1156 Olin-Turville Court
Birding Turville Point
A variety of birds can be found in the Turville Point woodlands and prairie and along the shore of Lake Monona by the Coliseum. Bring a Birding Guidebook or birding app to look up the birds you see!  

Starkweather Creek Area, starting location suggestion, Worthington Park, 3102 Worthington Ave., walk west to Clyde Gallagher Ave. and continue south along the Starkweather Creek.
Creek Life
Keeping our creeks and lakes clean and healthy is important to all of us from the tiniest to the largest. What critters and creatures are living by the creek? What plants and creatures do you observe in the water?

Warner Park, 2930 N. Sherman Ave
Explore New Tree Plantings
The Wild Warner friends group helps Madison Parks plant native Wisconsin Oaks and other trees at Warner Park that add beauty and provide food and shelter for hundreds of native insect, bird and wildlife species. How are the new trees doing? What kinds of nature restoration are being done in Warner Park? How can volunteers help?

Edna Taylor Conservation Park, 802 Femrite Road or 330 Femrite Drive, Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Sandhill Cranes 
Sandhill Cranes need healthy wetlands and plenty of room to raise their young. Do you see wetlands and places for Cranes to raise their young? If lucky you may spot a Crane family with young 'colts'! Use the International Crane Foundation to learn more about cranes around the world and the importance of wetlands.