WALK/BIKE MADISON

Madison is a city with a tremendous amount of recreational opportunities. With over two hundred City Parks, numerous bike/walking trails, picturesque neighborhoods, and the UW-Madison Arboretum with 120 acres of land, it would be hard to deny that Madison is an ideal city for walking.  On this page, you'll find maps on nature and historical walks,  and mall walking routes.

 If you want to feel great, have more energy and improve your overall health, take a walk. Remember: walking is a free form of exercise that you can do almost anywhere and anytime, with family, friends or by yourself.

Please note that many of these links listed below are in PDF format:

Madison on the Move: Walking and Biking to the Goodman Pool
Click here to view or download a map of recommended routes to get to the new pool under your own power!

• Fit City Routes to the Goodman Pool (PDF 2683KB)

South Madison Neighborhood Walking Routes
The titles below are linked to maps of Fit City walks of varying lengths within the neighborhood. The maps include recommended crossings for major roads as well as points of interest.  Explore your surroundings, or a new neighborhood, and get fresh air and physical activity at the same time!

• Walking Map - Bay Creek (PDF 3112KB)

• Walking Map - Bram's Addition (PDF 2623KB)

• Walking Map - Burr Oaks (PDF 3019KB)

• Walking Map - Capitol View (PDF 2454KB)

• Walking Map - Greenbush (PDF 2768KB)

Mall Walking

East Towne Mall Walking
Open Mon.-Fri. 7:00 am-9:00 pm,  Sat. 8:00 am-9:00 pm, Sun. 8:00 am-6:00 pm
Distance: complete mall lap .70 mile or about1400-1750 steps 
For additional questions contact customer service, 608-244-1501

West Towne Mall Walking:
Open Mon-Sat 7:00 am-9:30 pm, Sunday 9:00 am-7:00 pm
Distance complete mall lap .75 mile or about 1750 steps
For additional questions customer service, 608-833-6330

NATURE WALKS

• City of Madison Conservation Park Trails. To protect our natural areas, we ask that you please observe Conservation Park Rules.
• The UW Arboretum: There are over 20 mile of trails in the Arboretum's 1260 acres. These are available for use at all times of year, although we ask you to be careful when they are icy. Please note that it is essential to stay on the trails even when they are icy or muddy. Walking outside of the edges of the trails can be very damaging to wildflowers. Walking completely off trail might interfere with research and ecological restoration efforts.
  Walking Tours || Map of the UW-Madison Arboretum
• Aldo Leopold Nature Center: You are free to use the nature trails from sunrise to sundown when classes are not in session. Please call the office at (608) 221-0404 to schedule your visit.
  Trail Map

HISTORIC MADISON WALKING TOURS

• Walking Tours-- Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
• First Settlement Neighborhood: A Walking Tour
• Greenbush-Vilas Neighborhood: A Walking Tour
• Landmarks and Historic Districts in Madison: A Guide for Property Owners
• The Langdon Street Historic District: A Walking Tour
• Madison's Pioneer Buildings A Downtown Walking Tour 
• Mansion Hill: Glimpses of Madison's Silk Stocking District 
• The Nakoma Neighborhood: A Walking Tour
• Native American Mounds in Madison and Dane County
• Schenk-Atwood Neighborhood: A Walking Tour
• Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood: A Walking Tour
• The Third Lake Ridge Historic District: A Walking Tour
• The University Heights Historic District: A Walking Tour

BICYCLE INFORMATION

• Bicycle Route Map for the City of Madison: See an online version of this very popular and informative map!  (Some parts require PDF Reader)
• The Dane County Map for Bicyclists: The Dane County Map for Bicyclists
• Bicycle Registration: Information on Bicycle Registration (or License) for City of Madison. Yes, it's required!

BICYCLE CLUBS
Capitol Velo Club -- Madison's only club dedicated to women's cycling

RUNNING CLUBS

• Achilles Track Club Madison Chapter
  An international nonprofit club that enables people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics. Running, walking, wheelchairing, solo or with volunteer guides.
  Meets Thursdays at 5:45 PM at Fleet Feet, 8440 Old Sauk Road.
  
  For more information, or to volunteer to run with those needing a guide, call 831-6456 or email lovetorun5@yahoo.com
  

• Movin' Shoes Tuesday/Thursday Running Group meets at 5:30 PM at Movin' Shoes at 604 S. Park St. For more information visit www.movinshoesmadison.com
  

• Fleet Feet Running Clubs
  All paces are welcome at all of our runs.  Call 833-9999 for more information.

  Monday Night Rush Hour Run - 5 miles. Meet at Fleet Feet Sports, 8440 Old Sauk Road at 5:45 PM. Miles tracked each week. At 50 miles (10 sessions), receive a free gift.

  Wednesday Night Women's Walk and Run - 2 to 4 miles run or walk.  Meet at Fleet Feet Sports, 8440 Old Sauk Road at 5:15 PM.   

  Friday Morning Coffee Run - 3 to 5 miles. Meet at the Starbucks at 6709 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave (near Century Avenue and the new Copps Food Store) at 5:30 AM.

• Madison Area Running Series 
  Free membership organization which keeps track of a runner's participation in many Madison area races, and rankings of the first finisher in each age group.  Informal annual awards banquet for fun.  Click here to visit the MARS website.

• Wisconsin Track Club 
  Low-cost membership, organizes training and fun competitive events year round. Click here to visit their website for complete information.

BIKING INFORMATION and EVENTS

• Bicycle Federation offers occasional educational programs. For more information http://www.bfw.org

• Bicycle Federation also lists bicycle events statewide. Click here for the calendar.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE 

Ultimate Frisbee, often called Ultimate, is a competitive non-contact team sport played with a Frisbee or similar flying disc. The game was invented in 1968. Ultimate is distinguished by the "Spirit of the Game": the principles of fair play, sportsmanship, and the joy of play.  Click here for the homepage for Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association.

Private pools open to the public
View a list of Madison area hotel pools that open to the public for a fee by clicking here (PDF).