One of our favorite places to walk! Well groomed trails, beautiful water, fun paths, always clean. Bathrooms available. Trees are incredible. Fun for all ages. Nice parking lot across the street.

Picnic Point is a great place to experience nature in Madison. There are various trails you can walk on with good views along the way. As you may have guessed from the name, it is a wonderful place for a picnic with panoramic views of Lake Mendota and the state capitol.

Still a beautiful walk any time of year. I haven’t been out there for over 10 years but it’s mostly the same except for the stonework at the point. It’s very well maintained. I was proud to introduce my grandchildren to this wonderful place

Absolutely stunning. It is like you are far away in vacation but you are in the middle of Madison. Awesome i think i found my happy place

My favorite place to walk with my girlfriend. Lots of good views and many people walk their dogs down the paths.

Nice way for nature lovers of all levels to spend a couple hours. Im a pretty amateur hiker and I had no trouble making my way around the paths. lots of lovely views and plenty of places to sit and have a campfire. highly recommend!

I go here all the time, great place to walk, meet people, hangout, see a sunrise, just all around great place. The trails are spacious and views are amazing one of the best places in Madison hands down. If you are lucky enough to wake up for a sunrise its definitely worth it. Its kept clean, and well maintained. Definitely recommend you to go here

Wide gravel path. Just the right amount of people (weekday a 4pm). At least at present parking is free. Not sure why?

This place means so much to me! Such a peaceful place where amazing sights can be seen and amazing people congregate.

Beautiful walk in Madison. Many spots for a picnic break and a good stretch of beach!

Love this spot. Great for showing off the city and just relaxing on a nice day. Currently flooded out in the main trail but another trail has been marked to lead you to the tip.

Nice walking/running trails and very nice scenic views of the lake

What is not to like? A nice little walk on a good path with some great views of Madison.

Nice place to walk while waiting for loved ones at the hospital. Im not from the area so this was a pleasant spot to walk and calm my thoughts while my wife was in surgery.

Gorgeous location. Well maintained trail with a few fire pits along it. They provide wood near them.

Always like hiking here, beautiful.

They’ve done some good upgrades to this area since I was last here 10 years ago. Nice crushed granite pathways that are wide and stable. Fire rings and benches throughout. Expansive lawns that are perfect for a picnic or just relaxing. Beautiful view of the city and lake out at the end of the point.

A beautiful view. Nice walking trails full of wildflowers.

Ive always wanted to walk this trail since I moved here. It was shorter than I expected which made it more doable. I walked it with my mom whos in her 50s and we both had a good time. The trails on one side are nice and wide and on the other are more single file. Youre right up against the coast and if you walk to the point you get a great view. Theres other more wooded trails if you delve further, but none of it is too long. We used a guidebook to recommend which of the paths to take and ultimately spent about three hours walking. Beautiful.

Great nature preserve with many trails and sights to see along the water.

Theres a cool trail and if you follow it, you will get disastrously loss. Good fun though!

Nice places to sit and view the water. would hike here again!

Peace and a great walk just minutes away from downtown

Very nice place to take a stroll. Short walk. Hike or even a long run. I highly suggest veering off onto other paths Along the main and venturing off. Lots of people talking loud and runners constantly but the side paths are great for a more chill experience.

Nice walk from campus with great views of the capitol. Reserve one of the bonfire circles for a relaxing night

A beautiful, serene Walk for some peace and relaxation. A getaway, hidden in the heart of the city.

Nice place to chill and relax

Great place to be in nature in the city, wide paths and great views of the city. Several campfire areas with wood provided. Beautiful spot in Madison.

I went out there today to see what its like and to walk the trail. It didnt impress me! Picnic Point? Wheres the picnic tables?

A nicely designed and well-maintained park on the west side of campus, also close to UW hospital and Childrens Hospital. Walking paths, fire pits with wood provided, places to sit and relax, lots of wildflowers, and great views of lake Mendota. There is a network of hiking trails as well that connect picnic point to the adjoining public lakefront.

Very nice.

Beautiful walk. 1 mile to point, 1 mile back.

A spectacular view of the University and downtown Madison. And a spectacular sunset vista the opposite way. Truly a great walk but bikes are no longer allowed.I love it here, very scenic. Sometimes a little flooded so prepare to get dirty. Reserve the fire pits and have fun with friends.

The best 40 minute walk in Madison. Lovely views of lake, natural surface

Great walk, humid, beautiful nature, incomplete sentence.

I was there to se the beautiful sunset in Madison!

Fantastic running spot and hiking point. Beautiful place to get away from the city. If you get the chance you have to go out! And if its on a run, make sure you touch the picnic point run marker on the rock.

A beautiful walk out to the point, maybe a mile walk. Lots of trails, trees, and wildlife.

Most beautiful real estate in Madison, and open for public use, for free! Another wonderful feature of Madison.

We never get tired of this Madtown gem. It has great scenery, sweet running trails, and of course, incredible picnic areas.

Wish there was more recognition stating that this is Ho-Chunk land. Theres a tiny sign pointing out burial mounds but should be made more obvious and more protected.

Easy access and nice views

Picnic Point is one of the more special places in Madison. Now only a walking trail, with several (reservable) fire pits along the way, and a large one at the tip, its a beautiful walk through a wooded, wildflower-strewn landscape with water on both sides. A spectacular view of the University and downtown Madison. And a spectacular sunset vista the opposite way. Truly a great walk but bikes are no longer allowed.

Great place for a very short hike, DOG FRIENDLY, stations for bonfires, and beautiful year round.

The views are awesome!

Beautiful after work walk to relax and not feel like Im in the City.

Awesome hidden gem

Beautiful area and great place to take a hike, have a campfire and meet friends.

We went out to picnic point for a musical presentation of Wisconsin folklore, and it was amazing! The place itself is just stunning, especially in fall when the leaves are turning. Fantastic views of the capitol and all of the downtown cityscape over the lake. Multiple fire pits along the way until you get to the main pit at the point. The show only made it better. Such a great place. One of Madisons hidden gems!

No fish sad.

I love it here, very scenic. Sometimes a little flooded so prepare to get dirty. Reserve the fire pits and have fun with friends.

A slew of dirt and gravel trails let you walk the shoreline of university bay and the lake. Parking free after 4:30 at many lots. Fire bit sites are rent to use due to demand. Beautiful area.

While exploring Madison we decided to stop here and were surprised at the size of this peninsula. Nice place for a hike. Gets you out into the lake pretty far.

This is one of the best places to go for a walk in Madison. The paths are surrounded by lush green areas and you can get some beautiful views of the lake. I love sitting at the far tip to just take in the view and listen to the soft waves, chirps of birds, and bugs buzzing. There are lots of great places to reserve for family fun around a fire too.

Would recommend to anyone visiting the Madison area. Cool place with multiple spots for a cookout.

Picnic point is an iconic land mark of Madison! With nicely kept and good distance trials, plus a rewarding view of Lake Mendota, its a great place to get a run or small walk in. With camp fire pits available to reserve its also a great place to endulge in some good food and friends.

If you are a parent and want to take a stroller you can easily. Unless you have an umbrella stroller and it stormed right before. Gravel path the whole way.

Best place in Madison to hike/ walk/ meet the nicest people in town on these trails. Beautiful scenery!

One of my favorite spots in Madison!

Beautiful even on a cold windy day

Nice walking path along a peninsula that has a great view of the lake at the end.

This is a beautiful walk on a peninsula jetting into Lake Mendota. The walk is gravel and lined with lots of mature trees and wildflowers.

Simply breath taking

Cool hike into the lake. We went in the night.

Always a great little hike in the summer as long as it didnt rain too much because puddles accumulate.

Amazing view! The hiking trails needed to get here are also very splendid. They wind along the lake providing wonderful views and small beaches. I highly recommend taking the time to visit if you are in the Area.

Beautiful views! Plenty of points to have a picnic/fire. Nice trails. Great for jogs/walks/runs. Perfect place to clear your thoughts!

Beautiful and Timeless. Fantastic wrap-around views that have not changed in over 60 years. Dont miss it, and keep it pristine!

In the boat eating and swimming

Very nice and pretty park!

So glad this is public land! Went for the first nice weekend of the year and it was beautiful.

Tranquil walk ending with wonderful views of UW campus and downtown Madison.

Beautiful spot. Wonderful Hike.

Great place to walk! Also a cool view of the Capitol

Beautiful well maintained trails!

Enjoyed the sights. Trail is clean and easy to walk. Marked very well. Definitely will go back.

Just so beautiful!

Walk through the woods and feel miles outside of Madison. Come to a clearing to be reminded of the wonderful city we live in.

Best hiking in Madison!

It is indeed a point, and you can definitely have a picnic there. everything is as advertised.

Nice spot for a walk or jog, gets buggy in certain seasons. Busy on the weekends. Reserve campfire spots for free online, firewood provided!

It’s gotten better trails since I was a kid. And watch where you step in the summer! There are penny roads hopping across the trail!

Nice Walk and great views.

Wondeful place

Very nice trail. Great view. Unfortunate that its called Picnic Point instead of something more meaningful to its history

A beautiful point on the lake with multiple benches and a panoramic view of Lake Mendota. Would definitely recommend for a bonfire at sunset.

Beautiful ️

Nice quiet spot

Amazing place

Peaceful stroll along the frozen lake overlooking the Madison skyline.

Quick, easy hike with beautiful views.

One of the best places on planet earth! :)

Best place on all of mandota

Always a wonderful place to walk and see birds.

I love this place! Life with naturally!

Great hike, expect mud in the spring.

This is a very nice walk, open 4am - 10pm, with fire pits!

Great place to walk by ones own. Beautiful

Loved walking by the lake

Perfect place for a picnic! Watch out for bugs...