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
  

2020-21 Winter Recreation: Cross-Country Skiing 

Seven designated and groomed cross-country skiing trails throughout the park system. 

• FREE-TO-USE: Four groomed trails are free-to-use (Cherokee Marsh South, Door Creek, Owen and Turville Point).
• PERMIT REQUIRED: Elver, Odana Hills, and Yahara Hills are groomed more regularly as conditions allow and require a daily or annual Cross-Country Ski Permit for anyone aged 16 years or older. (scroll to green Purchase Permit button).
• RESTROOMS: Available at Elver, Owen, Odana (portable) and Yahara (portable). 
• SNOW LOOP at Elver Park: Thanks to our partnership with the Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC) and the support of the Madison Nordic Ski Club (MadNorSki), Elver Park has a regularly groomed machine-made snow loop. Ski trail conditions are posted by volunteers & users here.
  • Snow-making for the loops is on-going. Please stay clear of all equipment. Do not ski over power cords. 
• SKI RENTALS: Classic ski rentals, sleds, and ice skates are available. See Elver Park for hours and rates. 
• COVID-19 safety precautions: the shelter at Elver Park is closed to the public. 
• Learn more about cross-country skiing in Madison Parks:
  • Read Your Guide to XC in Madison Parks 
  • Subscribe to Winter Recreation News
  • See CXC Skiing for information on lessons and community activities at Elver Park. 

2021 Permit Fees

View all Cross-Country Skiing

• Elver - Skiing

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd.
  
  Closed
  Cross-Country Skiing Details
  

• Elver Snow Loop

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd.
  
  Open
  Cross-Country Skiing Details
  

Explore the many scenic trails and pathways throughout Madison Parks.  Leashed & licensed dogs are allowed on most trails with a Dog Park Permit. See Dog Free Parks, for exceptions. Restrooms are open year-round at Cherokee Marsh, North Unit and Owen conservation parks. 

Please observe the following COVID-19 safety precautions: 

• Maintain a physical distance of at least 6' from anyone outside your household.
• Share the path. Some trails are bike and pedestrian shared. Bicyclists, remain 6' from pedestrians and give a courtesy alert to others that you are passing on the left. 
• MORE PATH TIPS 

MAPS
A number of parks are mapped for hiking. Look for a map onsite or on the individual park page, under the "About This Park" section.  View all Hiking

2021 Ice Skating Season
19 designated rinks and lagoons at 13 locations throughout the park system.  

• FREE-TO-USE: All designated rinks and lagoons are free to use. No reservation required! 
• SKATE RENTALS AVAILABLE (first-come, first-served): Elver, Tenney and Vilas
• No rentals on Mondays and Tuesdays. 
• CHECK THE STATUS: Is the rink open? See the status below.
  • DO NOT skate, walk, or otherwise go on a rink or lagoon until it is declared open. Doing so is not safe and slows the opening process by damaging the ice.
  • While ice is never 100% safe, staff monitors the ice depth to be at least 5" to safely support humans and grooming equipment.
• LEARN MORE about winter recreation in Madison Parks:
  • Read Your Guide to Ice Skating in Madison Parks 
  • Subscribe to Winter Recreation News

WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR 
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, park users will see a number of adjustments this season.

• Wear a mask.
• Restrooms open, with limited capacity.
• Warming shelters are closed to the public. No personal items may be left inside. 
• Skate rentals available with modified hours. See each location for equipment, rates, and hours. 
• No hot chocolate or concessions. 
• Limited outdoor seating provided.

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

View all Ice Skating

• Elver Park - Hockey Rink

  Location: 1240 McKenna Blvd
  
  Closed
  
  More Information: Skating at Elver Park
  

• Elver Park - Ice Rink

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

Parking lots are available in these parks for the programs or events in these parks.  Parking lots are available from 4:00 am to 10:00 pm. Overnight parking is not allowed.  Parking regulations specific to that park are posted at the entrance of the park. View all Parking Lots

Garner Park offers Madison's only dedicated pickleball courts, plus we have a number of tennis courts lined for pickleball throughout the city. Rules of the game, adopted by the USA Pickleball Association may be found here. 

Pickleball courts may be reserved ONLINE.

View all Pickleball Courts

• Elver Park - Pickleball Court

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

CLOSED (for the 2020 season), except Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North, Warner Boat Launch, and Owen Conservation Park, which are open year-round. 
 

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Restrooms are located throughout the parks system and in most cases in a park with a reservable shelter.  Most of the restrooms are available only during the summer months. Restrooms available during the winter months include those open for winter activities at the following parks:   Tenney, Vilas, Elver, Olbrich, Warner and Westmorland Parks.

No firearms or weapons are permitted on this property. Violators are considered trespassers and subject to forfeiture or arrest.

View all Restrooms

• Elver Park Shelter #1 (open)

  Location: 1260 McKenna Blvd
  Lighted: Yes
  Open Year-Round: No
  

• Elver Park Shelter #2 (Enclosed)

  Location: 1250 McKenna Blvd
  Lighted: Yes
  Open Year-Round: Yes
  
  Notes: Restrooms are open during the winter season when staffed for recreation rentals & concessions.

• Elver Park Softball Restrooms

  Lighted: Yes
  Open Year-Round: No
  

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

2021 SHELTER RESERVATIONS

• The Shelter Reservations Guide provides details on seating capacities, and amenities such as outlets, fireplaces, and picnic tables.

Shelter 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)

Note: 

• Picnic shelters are also reservable or available on a first-come, first served basis.
• 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. There are a handful of parks that are alcohol-free. In order to have alcohol in these parks, you must have a reservation and an alcohol permit, which can be obtained when placing your reservation.
• 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 continues 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. 

View all Large Shelters

• Elver Park Shelter #1 (open)

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

• Elver Park Shelter #2 (Enclosed)

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

Slacklining is a balance sport which uses nylon webbing, typically 1"-2" wide, suspended horizontally between two anchor points. Slacklining and hammocking, under policy are allowed at specific times and on specific park trees. In December 2017, the Board of Park Commissioners approved a policy and guidelines for slacklining and hammocking on park trees. The policy provides inforomation on when, where and how. Please review the following documents before tethering on any park trees. 

• POLICY & GUIDELINES
• TREE PROTECTION
• TREE IDENTIFICATION

View all Slacklining and Hammocking

03/05/2021 UPDATE: Sledding in Madison Parks is winding down for the season. Numerous locations are closed for the season, including Berkley, Hiestand and Olbrich, among others. For your safety, and to uphold the quality of our landscapes, please do not use a sledding hill without a significant snow base. 

The Elver Park sledding hill is one of the most popular and is lit for nighttime sledding during the open season. 

For the safety of others during COVID-19, please wear a mask or face-covering and do your best to maintain 6' from anyone outside of your household. 

Madison Parks offers many hills perfect for winter sledding. The locations listed below are few suggestions for ideal sledding with a good snow base. With the exception of Elver Park, sledding hills are not maintained by park staff. 

View all Sledding

• Elver Park - Sledding

  Warming House: No
  Concessions: No
  
  Notes: By far the most popular, Elver Park's hill is also lit for nighttime fun.

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 266-4711.  Find out more about Athletic Field Reservations.
 

FIELDS, OPEN OR CLOSED?

The best and ONLY way to know if your field is open for play is to call the Rainout Line (608)267-8787. Weekdays the line will be updated by 2:00pm, weekends and holidays the line will be updated by 9:00am. The line will be updated if fields are questionable, if no update by times listed, fields are open for play.
 

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 266-4711.  Find out more about Athletic Field Reservations.

FIELDS, OPEN OR CLOSED?

The best and ONLY way to know if your field is open for play is to call the Rainout Line (608)267-8787. Weekdays the line will be updated by 2:00pm, weekends and holidays the line will be updated by 9:00am. The line will be updated if fields are questionable, if no update by times listed, fields are open for play.

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 this summer with a visit to a splash park! Madison Parks offers three splash parks that are always free to use and typically open daily, 10:00am to 8:00pm the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the Monday of Labor Day weekend. 

Please report mechanical or operating issues: (608) 228-1298              

View all Splash Parks

• Elver Park Splash Park

  # of Water Features:
  Surface:
  

Madison Parks has nearly 100 tennis courts.  Most of the tennis courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. When courts are reserved, at least one must be left available for pick-up play. Please note that all tennis leagues and all tennis instructors must pay for a reservation, no matter the location. Go to: Athletic Field Reservations

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

Shared Pickleball Courts
Elvehjem, Heritage Heights, Norman Clayton, Northland Manor, Tenney, and Walnut Grove
 

View all Tennis Courts

• Elver Park - Tennis Court

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