Best Hikes Near Madison
About this ebook
Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike? Here are forty-three of the best hikes, nearly all within an hour’s drive of Madison, Wisconsin—from the Capital City State Trail to Devil’s Lake State Park. The hikes offer skyline views, a range of landscapes, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Whether you’re in the mood for an easy nature walk or a day-long hike, this guide offers plenty to choose from: • Picnic Point
• Pheasant Branch Conservancy
• Gibraltar Rock
• Blue Mound State Park
• Pope Farm Park
• Meadow Valley and Cave Trails Each hike features full-color photos; a brief route description; thorough directions to the trailhead (GPS coordinates included); a detailed, full-color trail map; and at-a-glance information on distance and difficulty level, hiking time, canine compatibility, and fees and permits. Inside you’ll also find a Trail Finder that categorizes each hike (e.g., for attractions such as views, and if it’s suitable for families with kids); Green Tips; and information about local lore, points of interest, and the area’s wildlife.
About the author
Michael Ream is a travel writer and a lifelong lover of hiking and other outdoor activities. Since his parents first took him onto a trail in California at the age of two, he has hiked throughout the United States as well as in Africa and South America, where he trekked through the Sahara Desert and the Bolivian Andes, respectively. He is the author of Best Easy Day Hikes Lincoln and Omaha, Best Easy Day Hikes Des Moines, (FalconGuides) and Insiders Guide to Des Moines (Globe Pequot) and has contributed to publications including South American Explorer, Saveur, Midwest Traveler, and Southern Traveler. He has also written guidebook chapters on the Smoky Mountains, the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks, Tennessee, Texas and Mississippi, and for newspapers in Illinois, Mississippi, and Arkansas. A native of Chicago, he earned a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa, with his family.
