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. 

Trails of various lengths and terrain are suggested below, in addition, snowshoeing is also permitted anywhere with good snow cover with the exception of any groomed ski trail and off-trail in a conservation park.
   
TIPS

• Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in a park that is snow-covered and ungroomed and on ungroomed trails only in conservation parks. Snowshoes are not allowed on groomed cross-country ski trails at any time.
• Sufficient snow (typically 4" or more) is needed to create a base for snowshoeing. The woods generally need more snow to fall due to the trees protecting the trails.
• Our trail systems are designed to facilitate controlled public access while protecting environmentally sensitive areas and providing quiet refuges 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.
• Snowshoeing, hiking, and skiing off-trail destroys 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 the small mammals more vulnerable to predation.

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