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. 

• Hiestand Park - Basketball Court

  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 1 full
  

Hiestand Update (11.24.2022)

Due to muddy conditions and to best preserve the course for longer play this winter season, Hiestand is closed. We hope to reopen the course next week. 

Disc Golf News

• HIESTAND DISC GOLF: Will remain open, as conditions allow through the 2022-23 winter season. You may anticipate periodic temporary closures to best preserve the course during muddy conditions.
• Elver DISC GOLF: Closed for the season
• YAHARA HILL DISC GOLF: Due to construction at Yahara Hills course the winter course will not open for the 2022-23 season. 
• Free practice disc golf baskets at Wexford and Westhaven Trails parks.  Select park for locator map. 

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

2023 Fees 

2023 permit is available Nov. 1 and is valid through December 31, 2023. 

• Hiestand Park Disc Golf Course

  Location: 4302 Milwaukee Street
  Bleachers: No
  Lighted: No
  Setup: Adult
  Type: Game
  

Madison Parks are a unique blend of active recreation and passive recreation spaces.  Open Fields are just that - open, not pre-designed as a softball diamond, or football field.  These open fields are available in these parks to spark your imagination, play a game of tag, or follow the leader - or anything you can think of!  Enjoy your parks!

• Hiestand Park - Open Field Games

Picnic shelters are smaller, open-air structures that provide a little shade and typically some seating. They do not provide protection from severe weather, such as lightning. A picnic shelter may be reserved or used on a first-come, first-served basis if not previously reserved. 

• 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, as long as there is no glass. A handful of parks are alcohol-free and require a permit to bring alcohol. You must have a reservation to obtain an alcohol permit.
• All picnic shelters are open year-round, however, if the picnic shelter has restrooms, these are open seasonally and closed for the winter typically October - April.
• In the event of severe weather, picnic shelters are not lightening protection areas. Please seek an alternative location. 
• Firearms or weapons are not permitted at any of the shelters. Violators may be considered trespassers and may be subject to forfeiture or arrest.
• Park 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 see Park Projects for park improvement that may impact a nearby shelter.

• Hiestand Park Picnic Shelter

  Restrooms: No
  Lighted: Yes
  Notes: Solar lighting
  

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 all-inclusive playgrounds in Brittingham Park and Elver Park, opening in 2019.  The Foundation has a goal of 5 fully accessible playgrounds. 

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. 

• Hiestand Park - Playground

Open public restrooms are listed below. All portable restrooms are accessible. 

Year-Round Open Restrooms
Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North, Warner Park Boat Launch, and Owen Conservation Park are open daily, from approximately 10am to 8pm. 

Spring - Fall  
Most restrooms are open daily from approximately 10am to 8pm, opening the first Saturday on or after April 20 and closing for the season October - November. Locations and dates vary. 

Winter
Once winter recreation begins, in addition to the year-round locations, Elver, Tenney, and Vilas have open restrooms when the winter recreation amenity of that park is open. Please check Winter Fun for the status of winter recreation at a specific park. Other portable restrooms are also added in a number of popular winter recreation locations. 

• Hiestand Park Portable Restroom

  OPEN
  
  Notes: near parking lot

• Hiestand Park Portable Restroom

  OPEN

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. 

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

• Hiestand Park - Sledding

  Warming House: No
  Concessions: No
  

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. 

• Hiestand Park - Soccer East

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

• Hiestand Park - Soccer West

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