Madison Parks ranks #1 in the nation for the number of basketball hoops per resident, come check out the hoops in your neighborhood! Most of the basketball courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you are planning a new league or tournament see Athletic Field Reservations. 

View all Basketball Courts

• Elver Park - Basketball Court

  Location: by tennis courts
  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 1 full
  

• Elver Park - Basketball Court

  Location: by woods
  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 2 full
  

Cross-Country Skiing in Madison Parks

Madison Parks provides designated and groomed trails for cross-country skiing. Three are free-to-use and three require a daily or annual cross-country ski permit. 

• PERMIT REQUIRED: Door Creek, Elver and Odana Hills Golf Course.
  • Groomed several times per week, and as conditions allow
  • A daily or annual Ski Permit is required for anyone aged 16 years or older and may be PURCHASED ONLINE. 
• FREE-TO-USE: Cherokee Marsh Conservation - South, Owen, and Turville Point.
  • Groomed weekly, and as conditions allow. 
  • Due to years of poor snow quality and ground conditions, Yahara Hills is no longer a designated and groomed ski trail location. 
• TRAIL STATUS DEFINITIONS
  • OPEN = trail is snow-covered, skiable with the most recent grooming date posted. 
  • CLOSED = skiing is not advised or permitted
  • See Madison Nordic Ski Club for trail conditions posted by volunteers and trail users.
     
• RESTROOMS: See the webpage for open locations. 
• DOGS: Dogs are NOT allowed on designated cross-country ski trails. 
• HIKING/SNOWSHOEING: Do not walk on a designated cross-country ski trail. Hiking or snowshoeing is allowed ANYWHERE except on cross-country ski trails and off-trail in a conservation park. See SNOWSHOEING for suggested locations. When in doubt, don't. 

SKI RENTALS
Classic skis with boots and poles are available to rent from Elver and Odana Hills* and include a daily cross-country ski permit. *Before you head out, be sure to check the status of each location. Rental days are only when a location is listed as open. Please click location to see if listed as open. If a location is closed for winter recreation, rentals are not available.  

• Elver Park Wednesday - Sunday 
• Odana Hills Saturday & Sunday

2024 Fees 

View all Cross-Country Skiing

• Elver - Skiing

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd.
  
  Closed
  Cross-Country Skiing at Elver Park
  

DISC GOLF NEWS 

• Elver is closed for the season starting Tuesday, November 28.
• Hiestand to remain open this winter, as conditions allow.
• Read about the Elver Disc Golf Course Redesign project. 
• FREE-to-use year-round disc golf baskets at Heritage Heights (1), High Point (1), Lake Edge (3), Rennebohm (1), Westhaven Trails (4) and Wexford (3). 
• Check out disc golf for free with a valid Madison Public Library card. Get the DETAILS

COURSE MAPS

• Elver Park
• Hiestand Park

A daily or annual permit is required for anyone age 16 years or older and may be purchased online. 

2024 Fees 

• 2023 permit is valid through December 31, 2023. 
• 2024 permit is available for purchase starting Nov. 1, 2023 and is valid from the time of purchase through December 31, 2024. 

View all Disc Golf Courses

• Elver Park Disc Golf Course

  Location: 1250 McKenna Boulevard
  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

Explore the many scenic trails and pathways throughout Madison Parks.  Year-round restrooms are available at Cherokee Marsh, North and Owen conservation parks. 

MAPS
Looking for a trail map for a particular park? A number of the individual park pages provide a trail map. Check out the "About This Park" section of your favorite park. Don't see a map? Let us know! 

Dogs
Most parks allow leashed & licensed dogs with a Dog Permit. However, dogs are prohibited in all conservation parks and a few other locations. See Dog Free Parks for more information. View all Hiking

Ice Skate News

Goodman Park ice rink -- also known as Franklin Field is getting a NiceRink® for the 2023-24 winter season. In the fall of 2023, staff graded and leveled the ground to prep for the NiceRink, which is an above-ground, framed liner that allows water to freeze quicker and stay frozen longer - meaning a longer skating season! 

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Ice Skating in Madison Parks

19 ice rinks or lagoons are maintained by Parks staff and/or volunteers during the cold winter season. All are free to use and no reservation is needed. See Special Winter Fun Edition: Ice Skating for more information. 

A big thank you to our many volunteers and the ADOPT ICE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM! 

View all Ice Skating

• Elver Park - Hockey Rink

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd
  
  Closed
  
  More Information: Skating at Elver Park - Hockey Rink
  

• Elver Park - Ice Rink

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd.
  
  Closed
  
  More Information: Skating at Elver Park - Ice Rink
  

Parking lots in parks are available for park programs or events during regular park hours: 4:00 am to 10:00 pm. 

Parking Rules

• Driving or parking motorized vehicles is not allowed on the grass or near a shelter and is subject to a citation.
• Three-hour limit in all parks, as posted.
• No parking after hours: 10pm to 4am. Overnight parking is not allowed. 
• Conservation park hours are 4am until one hour after sunset
• Follow all onsite parking regulation signs.
• Violators are subject to a fine.

Law Park: metered parking stalls
The parking lot located on the eastern side of Law Park, commonly known as the Blair Lot, is a metered parking lot, enforced by City of Madison Parking Division between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. 
  View all Parking Lots

Among the nearly 100 tennis courts in Madison, many are dual-stripped for pickleball. Dual-striped courts utilize the tennis net which is about 2" taller than a standard pickleball net. Garner Park offers Madison's only dedicated pickleball courts.

While the courts are available for individuals on a first-come, first-served basis, ALL LEAGUES AND LESSONS MUST RESERVE IN ADVANCE. See Athletic Field Reservations

Learn more about the game and rules adopted by the USA Pickleball Association. 


 

View all Pickleball Courts

• Elver Park - Pickleball Court

  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 3
  
  Notes: Tennis/Pickleball Courts

With more than 175 playgrounds throughout Madison, you are never too far from a playground. According to the Trust for Public Land, Madison ranks #1 in the nation for the number of playgrounds available. The traditional swings and slides are always an option, as are new play elements and fully accessible playgrounds. 

PLAYGROUNDS FOR EVERYONE
Through the Madison Parks Foundation initiative, Madison Parks offers accessible playgrounds in Brittingham, Elver, Rennebohm and Warner parks.  In 2024, an accessible playground is anticipated in Reindahl Park.

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PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENTS: HOW AND WHEN
Madison Parks is responsible for maintaining more than 175 playgrounds and began a system-wide replacement initiative in 2013. With current staff and funding resources, replacements are scheduled to continue through 2033. Playgrounds are routinely inspected to assess the equipment's conditions and repair any safety concerns. Based on the age of the equipment and current conditions, each is given an audit score. The number of playgrounds replaced each year is based on budget allocations, staffing resources, and using the current playground audit score for prioritization. 

REPLACEMENT PROCESS: NEIGHBORHOOD INPUT
At the start of the replacement process, notices are sent to the District Alder, neighborhood association representatives, and surrounding residential addresses. Information is also posted to the project website. Generally, two public meetings are held to review surfacing and equipment options and make final selections.

If you have questions about a specific playground or see something broken, please let us know. 

View all Playgrounds

• Elver Park - Playground

OPEN RESTROOMS
The system-wide process to close restrooms for the winter season began Oct. 1. Listed on this page are OPEN restrooms (daily 10am to 8pm). All other restrooms are CLOSED. 

Restrooms throughout the park system are open seasonally from approximately mid/late April through early to late October. The systemwide process of opening/closing restrooms takes several weeks and depends on the weather and staffing. 

WINTER
Once winter recreation begins, in addition to the year-round locations, Vilas and portable restrooms are provided in select winter recreation locations, once the amenity is open for the winter season. Please check Winter Fun for the status of winter recreation at a specific park. 

YEAR-ROUND

• Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North
• Elver Park enclosed shelter
• Owen Conservation Park
• Tenney Park at the John Wall Family Pavilion
• Warner Park boat launch 

View all Restrooms

• Elver Park Pavilion Shelter

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd
  
  OPEN

Many of the Madison Parks are located in ideal locations for sight seeing.  Enjoy the view! View all Scenic Overlooks

Madison Parks offers larger shelters and pavilions perfect for a casual event, staff retreat or celebration. Most are available to reserve from mid-April through mid-October, with a few exceptions as noted below. The Shelter Reservations Guide provides details on seating capacities, and amenities such as outlets, fireplaces, and picnic tables. Reservations may be made online, in person or by phone. Please follow these helpful steps when making a reservation. 

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Important Notes: 

• Full payment, by credit card only is due at the time of processing your reservation
• Any required permits, such as amplified sound, or alcohol are required at the time of processing.    
• All reservations are subject to our standard cancellation policy. 
• 2024 reservations open Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
  • IMPORTANT: For reservations made on opening day (2nd Tuesday in November), cancellations made 11 or more days before the event date will receive a 50% refund.
  • Due to reserved special events, a number of locations are not available. See 2024 Special Event Reservations. 
• Dogs are prohibited inside a shelter or other City building. 
• Picnic shelters may be reserved online or by calling -OR- if not reserved, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Day of signage is posted at the shelter.
• Madison Parks does not guarantee absolute privacy to any group.  Your reservation will reserve only the facility you are using, not the entire park or other facilities within the park. If you are interested in reserving the entire park, please visit Special Events.
• Alcohol is permitted in most Madison Parks. Glass is never allowed. There are a handful of alcohol-free parks. In these locations, if you would like to bring alcohol, you will need an alcohol permit, which may be obtained when placing your reservation. An alcohol permit, without a reservation, is not given. 
• Public improvements and/or construction may be underway during the time of your reservation.  The City of Madison Parks Division makes every attempt to schedule around events and shelter reservations whenever possible, however, this is not a guarantee. Please keep in mind improvements to parks and infrastructure continue throughout the year.  Please visit Park Projects for a partial list of major capital improvement projects.
• Firearms or weapons are not permitted at any of the shelters. Violators may be considered trespassers and may be subject to forfeiture or arrest.
• The availability of Gates of Heaven may be checked online however, you will need to call to make your reservation.
• Reservations for the following year begin in November of the proceeding year. 

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Open Schedule Exceptions 

• Open year-round:
  • Gates of Heaven
  • Highland Manor Park
• Open mid-April through mid-November:
  • John Wall Family Pavilion in Tenney Park
  • Elver Park (enclosed shelter) 
  • Warner Park
  • Olin Park (through October)

View all Large Shelters

• Elver Park Open Shelter

  Address: 1260 McKenna Blvd
  Capacity: Seats 100 people
  Restrooms: In shelter
  Water: Available in shelter
  Parking: Parking lot
  
  
  Shelter Details: Elver Park Open Shelter

• Elver Park Pavilion Shelter

  Address: 1250 McKenna Blvd
  Capacity: Seats 60 people inside, 80 people outside
  Restrooms: In shelter
  Water: Available in shelter
  Parking: Parking lot
  
  
  Shelter Details: Elver Park Pavilion Shelter

Slacklining or hammocking in a park is allowed following the guidelines below at specific times, on specific trees, and never in a conservation park. Always keep in mind, Park Rangers have the authority to remove or order the removal of any slackline or hammock which they deem as harmful to the tree or as a danger to the safety of park users. The best advice, WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T.
 

Dos and Don'ts

Tethering to trees for the purpose of slacklining or hammocking is allowed following these guidelines:

• DO: Sunrise to 30 minutes prior to sunset
• DO: Temporary only and may never be left unattended or overnight
• DO: Only on trees greater than 1' in diameter and 4.5'
• DO: Tree protect is used at connection points
• DON'T: Never tether on Oak, Hickory or Birch trees
• DON'T: Never in any conservation park 

For more information, see POLICY & GUIDELINES
 

Proper Tree Protection

Tree protection is required for tethering any equipment to help prevent damage to the tree's bark. Carpet, foam pads or towels make good protection. Make sure the fabric padding completely encircle the tree at the connection points and is a minimum of ¼" thick by 10" wide. For more information and examples, see  TREE PROTECTION
 

Prohibited Trees

Never tether on an oak, hickory or birch tree. When in doubt, don't For more information, see TREE IDENTIFICATION

When in Doubt, Don't 

Park Rangers have the authority to remove or order the removal of any slackline or hammock which they deem as harmful to the tree or as a danger to the safety of park users. 

View all Slacklining and Hammocking

Madison Parks offers many hills perfect for winter sledding. With a good snow base, here are a few suggested locations. Elver Park offers lighting in the evening, during the open season. Sledding hills are not monitored or maintained. 

View all Sledding

• Elver Park - Sledding

  Warming House: Yes
  Concessions: Yes
  
  Notes: With good snow cover, Elver Park sledding hill is lit for evening fun!

Experience winter in Madison Parks like never before with snowshoeing!  This silent sport is a fantastic way to explore many of our parks during the winter months and is easy to learn.

SNOWSHOEING TIPS 

• Designated snowshoe trails are offered in the following parks. 
  •  *NEW* Cherokee Marsh South - see MAP
  • Door Creek Park - see MAP
  • Elver Park - see MAP
  • Yahara Hills Golf Course - see MAP
• Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in a general park with good snow cover - typically about 4" or more, except on a marked cross-country ski trail. 
• Snowshoeing is allowed in any trail in a conservation park, except Owen, and Turville Point, which are designated ski trails. 
• DO NOT snowshoe off-trail in a conservation park. 
  • Snowshoeing, hiking, and skiing off-trail can destroy snow tunnels used by native small rodents (deer mice, shrews) by the trampling effect. These small mammals are an important part of the wetland and grassland ecology in our conservation parks. Destruction of these tunnel networks makes small mammals more vulnerable to predation.
• When in doubt, it's always best to stay on a trail.
  • Our trail systems are designed to facilitate controlled public access while protecting environmentally sensitive areas and providing a quiet refuge for wildlife away from people. Disruption of wildlife by human activity during the winter puts additional stress on them during a challenging time for their survival. 

View all Snowshoeing

Many of the soccer fields are programmed with youth and adult league play.  If you would like to reserve a field or facility, please call the Athletic Scheduler at (608)266-4711.  Find out more about Athletic Field Reservations.

Fields, open or closed?
If a field reservation is canceled, a notification is emailed to the user who made the field reservation. Notifications are sent by 2:00 pm Monday through Friday and by 9:00 am on weekends and holidays. 

View all Soccer Fields

• Elver Park - Soccer #1

  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Youth
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park - Soccer #2

  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park - Soccer #3

  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park - Soccer #4

  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

Many of the softball diamonds are programmed with youth and adult league play.  If you are looking to join a league contact Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR).  If you would like to reserve a field or facility, please call the Athletic Scheduler at (608) 266-4711.  Find out more about Athletic Field Reservations.

Fields, open or closed?
If a field reservation is canceled, a notification is emailed to the user who made the field reservation. Notifications are sent by 2:00 pm Monday through Friday and by 9:00 am on weekends and holidays. 

View all Softball Fields

• Elver Park Softball #1

  Bleachers: Yes
  Lighted: Yes
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park Softball #2

  Bleachers: Yes
  Lighted: Yes
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park Softball #3

  Bleachers: Yes
  Lighted: Yes
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

• Elver Park Softball #4

  Bleachers: Yes
  Lighted: Yes
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

Cool off with a visit to a splash park! Madison Parks offers three, always free-to-use splash parks, open daily Memorial weekend through Labor Day: 10:00am to 8:00pm. Each location provides a restroom facility. 

Restrooms and To Activate Park Water Features

• Cypress: Activation Push Button, portable accessible, restroom onsite
• Elver: Activation Push Button, nearby restrooms at either shelter
• Reindahl: Activation Push Buttons, new accessible restrooms 

View all Splash Parks

• Elver Park Splash Park

  # of Water Features:
  Surface:
  

Madison Parks offers nearly 100 tennis courts, many are dual-stripped for tennis and pickleball.  While the courts are available for individuals on a first-come, first-served basis, ALL LEAGUES AND LESSONS MUST RESERVE IN ADVANCE. See Athletic Field Reservations

Practice Wall Locations
Bordner, Brittingham, Elver, Olbrich, Tenney, Waunona and Westmorland
 

View all Tennis Courts

• Elver Park - Tennis Court

  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 3
  
  Notes: Tennis/Pickleball Courts