Check out the hoops in your neighborhood! Most of the basketball courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are planning a new league or tournament RESERVE ONLINE

• Tenney Park - Basketball Court

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

• Tenney Park - Basketball Court

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

Beach swimming season is typically Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. This is when Parks staff clean and maintain designated beaches and sites with restrooms are open from approximately 11am to 7pm daily. See RESTROOMS to view locations. Swimming ropes are provided at a number of the beaches and indicated on this page. No lifeguards are on duty. 

Lake Water Quality Testing

Public Health Madison & Dane County performs lake water quality testing starting around Memorial Day and continuing through around Labor Day. Water quality test results are automatically posted on this page and signal whether the water in the swimming area is "OK" or "CLOSED." The beach area and park remain open. If OK, the water quality is approved for swimming, however, it does not mean a lifeguard is on duty. 

Accessiblity 

Thanks to funding provided by the Madison Parks Foundation, accessible beach mats are available at Bernie's and Vilas beaches. 

Rules

• No dogs are allowed on the sand or in the roped swim area.
• Only US Coast Guard-approved lifejackets are allowed.
• Alcohol is allowed at certain beaches; see Park Rules for further details.
• Children under 5 years of age must be actively supervised (watching your child at all times and providing immediate assistance) by a caregiver 16 years of age or over.
• Toys are allowed, but the use of toys may be restricted for the safety of patrons.
• The City of Madison is not responsible for lost or stolen articles. 
• Boats are not allowed in the swimming area. The swim area is defined by the outer buoys.
• Fishing is not allowed in the swimming area.

• Tenney Beach

  Public Health Water Testing:

  Open

  Address: 1330 Sherman Ave.
  Restroom: No
  Drinking Water: Yes
  Parking: Parking Lot
  Amenities: Picnic Tables, Playground, Volleyball
  
  Swim Ropes: Yes
  Lifeguard: No
  
  Tenney Beach Details

Launch Area Parking Rules and Tips (Ordinance 8.16)

• Long stalls are for parking vehicles with trailers only. 
• Regular-size stalls are for parking vehicles with no trailer only. 
• Parking on the grass is prohibited.
• When the launch parking lot is full, you must find an alternative launch site
• Violators are subject to a citation. 

Year-Round Piers

• Yahara River at Cherokee Marsh South and Olin 
• Lake Mendota at Marshall and Spring Harbor boat launches
• Brittingham Bay near Brittingham shelter
• Starkweather Creek kayak launch at Olbrich
• Lake Monona at Olbrich boat launch

• Tenney Park - Boat Launch

  Location: 1601 Sherman Ave.
  Lake Access Permit Required: Yes
  
  Notes: Access Lake Mendota

Watercraft Storage Spaces 

• You may be placed on our waitlist at no charge by calling (608) 266-4711 or EMAIL. Please include your name, phone number, email address, and any order of preferences on storage location.
• Current users can renew their watercraft storage yearly in late winter/early spring and no later than March 15.
• As spaces become available, those on the waitlist will be contacted after April 1 and offered the opportunity to reserve a space.  

• Watercraft must not exceed 100 pounds, 18' length, 42" width or 24" height.
• Storage is for permitted watercraft only. No personal property or other watercraft may be kept on racks for any length of time.
• Watercraft must be secured to the boat storage rack. The owner accepts all liability for theft or damage to their property.
• Parks Staff reserves the right to cut any lock and remove any watercraft, under any condition it deems necessary for the function of the boat storage program.
• View 2025 Agreement and Rules.  

• Brittingham & Wingra Parks: Madison Boats
• Olbrich Park: Rutabaga Paddlesports

Ice Skating in Madison Parks

No ice is completely safe. Opening an ice rink or lagoon for skating involves careful assessment. Always check the status online or call the Parks office before skating. Each rink and lagoon's status is listed and updated promptly. Rinks/lagoons will close if meltwater is visible to prevent extended closures from damaged ice. See Declaring a Rink or Lagoon as Open for more information. 

SKATE RENTALS & CONCESSIONS
Skate rentals and concessions are available from the staffed warming shelter in Elver, Tenney and Vilas. The season typically ends the third weekend in February, or sooner depending on ice conditions. 
 

LOANER SKATES 
Free-to-use skates are available at Olbrich, Warner and Westmorland Parks. Borrow a pair of ice skates to use while at the rink. Limited quantities and sizes are available from inside the warming shelter. Please wipe down and return before leaving the park. 

EVENTS & GROUP OUTING
Attend a winter event open to the community or reserve a winter recreation party for your group. All winter activities depend on the weather and conditions and are subject to change.

RESTROOMS
Indoor and portable restrooms are provided at a number of parks. See the webpage for open locations. 

PETS & BIKES
Bikes and pets, including well-behaved dogs, are never allowed on any ice rink or lagoon.  See Dogs in Parks for locations where allowed. 

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

• Tenney Park - Frozen Lagoon

  Location: 402 N. Thornton Ave.
  
  Closed
  
  More Information: Skating at Tenney Park - Frozen Lagoon
  

• Tenney Park - Hockey Rink

  Location: 402 N. Thornton Ave.
  
  Closed
  
  More Information: Skating at Tenney Park - Hockey Rink
  

Open or Multipurpose Fields are reservable athletic fields with no game-specific design or limitations. Often used for soccer, ultimate, lacrosse or football, yet open to your imagination. Multipurpose Fields are located throughout the city and may be used on a first-come, first-served basis if not already reserved. RESERVE ONLINE

SPECIALIZED FIELDS
Specialized fields include soccer, cricket, ball diamonds - baseball or softball and both fenced and non-fenced, may be viewed on the individual pages. See the sidebar on the Athletics webpage. 

• Tenney Park - Soccer NW

• Tenney Park - Soccer SE

• Tenney Park - Multipurpose Field

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.

Pickleball Court Update

• Tenney Park - Pickleball Court

  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: Yes
  Number of Courts: 3
  
  Notes: Tennis/Pickleball Courts

Playground News

• Temporary Closure Notice: The playground at Nakoma Park will be temporarily closed for maintenance starting Monday, July 14. We anticipate the work to be completed and the playground reopened by Friday, July 18.  

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. 

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. 

• Tenney Park - Playground

• Tenney Park - Playground

Restroom Updates

• Rennebohm Park - due to mechanical issues with the locking system, the restrooms at Rennebohm Park are closed. We apologize for this disruption of service and are working with the contractor to repair this issue. In the meantime, we have placed a portable unit on-site. 

Madison Parks offers seasonal and year-round restrooms throughout the park system. Indoor restrooms are open daily, approximately 10am to 8pm. 

• Brittingham Park (2) at beach house and boat house+
• Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park - North*
• Door Creek Park+
• Elver Park enclosed shelter*
• Owen Conservation Park*
• Warner Park boat launch* 

• Tenney Park at John Wall Family Pavilion

  Location: 402 N. Thornton Ave.
  
  OPEN

• Tenney Park Beach Shelter

  Location: 1300 Sherman Ave
  
  OPEN

Shelter and Pavilion News

• 2025 reservations opened Friday, November 1.
• Reservations may be made online, by phone or in person at Parks Lakeside Offices.
• See 2025 Special Event Reservations for unavailable dates and locations.
• Olin Park Pavilion CLOSED 2026 - City Engineering will conduct essential repairs and maintenance to this historic building in 2026. We anticipate the pavilion closed for the year. A clearer timeline will be available by November 2025.

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. 

Important Notes: 

• Any required permits, such as amplified sound, or alcohol are required at the time of processing.    
• All reservations are subject to our standard cancelation policy. 
• Opening day to reserve a park shelter for the following year begins on the first business day in November. 
• 2025 reservations opening day is Friday, November 1, 2024.
  • IMPORTANT: Canceling a reservation made on opening day will result in a 50% refund and must be submitted at least 11 or more days before the event date. No refunds are given if the request is submitted 10 days or fewer before the event. 
• 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 park amenities. 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.

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)

• Tenney Park at John Wall Family Pavilion

  Address: 402 N. Thornton Ave.
  Capacity: See Seating.
  Restrooms: In shelter
  Water: Available in shelter
  Parking: Parking lot
  Alcohol-Free Park: Yes – alcohol permit is required.
  
  Shelter Details: Tenney Park at John Wall Family Pavilion

• Tenney Park Beach Shelter

  Address: 1300 Sherman Ave
  Capacity: See seating.
  Restrooms: In shelter
  Water: Available in shelter
  Parking: Parking lot
  Alcohol-Free Park: Yes – alcohol permit is required.
  
  Shelter Details: Tenney Park Beach Shelter

Dos and Don'ts

• 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 

Proper Tree Protection

Prohibited Trees

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. 

Tennis Court Update

• Tenney Park - Tennis Court

  Surface: Asphalt
  Lighted: Yes
  Number of Courts: 3
  
  Notes: Tennis/Pickleball Courts

Most of the volleyball courts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  If you are planning a new league or tournament RESERVE ONLINE
 

• Tenney Park - Volleyball Court

  Location: By beach
  Surface: Sand
  Lighted: No
  Number of Courts: 1