Area Trails

SkinnySki.com has complete and up-to-date collection of trails. We recommend reviewing their website – in particular the South West WI map and South East WI map.  Close to home, check-out the City of Madison Cross Country Ski page.  Check grooming status and buy your annual pass online (for Elver and Odana). 

SkinnySki.com is not associated with Madnorski. For local and regional trail conditions we recommend using our Madnorski website.  Other sources of local winter trail information: City of Madison Parks and Dane County Parks.  Following is a collection of information about area trails that may not be represented on SkinnySki.com.

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In Madison

Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park – South Unit
3.1 miles, classic only, easy and intermediate. No trail fee. North side, 5002 School Rd.

Door Creek Park
1 mile, classic only, intermediate. City/County trail fee. Far East side, 7035 Littlemore Dr.

Elver Park
6.2 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. City/County trail fee. Warming shelter, lighted loop. Southwest side, 1250 McKenna Blvd. Home to Madnorski Tuesday Night Races. Conditions typically very good despite heavy use.

• Trail Map w/ distances in meters
• Trail Map w/ distances in kilometers

Lake Farm Park
5.3 miles, classic and skate, easy. City/County trail fee. Restrooms. Southeast side, on Lake Waubesa, 3113 Lake Farm Road.

Monona Golf Course
No longer groomed.

Odana Golf Course
3.5 miles, classic and skate, easy. City/County trail fee. Shelter, rental (weekends), restrooms. Call the Odana Club House at 266-4724 to check on the availability of ski rentals. West side, 4635 Odana Rd.

Owen Conservation Park
1.5 miles, classic only, intermediate. No trail fee. West side, 6021 Old Sauk Rd.

Turville Point Conservation Park
3.1 miles, classic only, easy and intermediate. No trail fee. Restrooms. Near southwest side, 1156 Olin Turville Ct. Sheltered from wind and lots of ambient city light for night skiing.

University Ridge Golf Course
10.5 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Trail fee (discount for UW Employees). Rentals for Classic skiing available. Far southwest side, 9002 County Rd PD.

• University Ridge XC website

UW Arboretum
Extensive trail system on 1200-acre property, un-groomed, hiking and snowshoeing also allowed. No trail fee. Please stay on trails marked for skiers. Near southwest side, Arboretum Dr.

Yahara Hills Golf Course
4.1 miles, classic and skate, easy and intermediate. City/County trail fee. Far east side, 6701 Hwy 12 & 18 East.

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Near Madison

CXC Outdoor Center
Trail Fee Required. Machine-made lighted snow loop. CXC Trailhead is located at 4355 Schwartz Rd, Middleton, WI 53562. The trail is open from 8 am to 8 pm. Requires All-Access Ski Pass (for trails with machine-made and natural snow coverage) for access to the entire groomed CXC Trail, including cross-country ski trails on the Pleasant View Golf Course, and includes access to the machine-made snow loop. Portable toilet on site.

Natural snow trail on Pleasant View Golf Course includes 8 miles, all skill levels. West of Madison. Now managed and groomed by partnership between Middleton and CXC.  Parking and access for ski trails on Pleasant View Golf Course is at the CXC Center, 4355 Schwartz Road, Middleton. A Regular Ski Pass (for trails with natural snow coverage) is required for each person to ski on the 13-kilometer CXC trail system from December 1st to March 15th.

• CXC Center Website
• Detailed grooming report on Nordic Pulse
• Middleton Recreation (discounted trail passes for Middleton residents)

BlackHawk Ski Area
Private club with classic and skate trails, ski jumps, downhill runs, and snowmaking. West of Madison, 10118 and 10222 Blackhawk Rd., Middleton.  Club membership required.

• Blackhawk Ski Club

Donald County Park
12.3 miles of ungroomed trails for classic only. Beautiful wilderness park after a fresh snow storm.

• Trail Map

Governor Nelson State Park
5.2 miles, classic and skate, easy and intermediate. State Park entry fee. Restrooms. The multi-use trail allows snowshoes and leashed pets, including skijoring. On the north shore of Lake Mendota on county M west of Hwy 113. Address for navigating is 5140 Co Hwy M, Waunakee.

• Trail Map w/ distances

McCarthy Youth & Conservation Park
180+ acres; East of Madison off of I-94. Approx. 9.5km groomed for skate and classic, with club-supported grooming. Park Homepage and trail map

• CXC Center Website
• Middleton Recreation (discounted trail passes for Middleton residents)

Token Creek
4 miles, classic and skate, easy. City/County trail fee. Portable toilet on site. North of Madison on Hwy 51. Address for navigating is 6200 US-51, DeForest.

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East of Madison

Cam-Rock Park (Cambridge)
5 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. City/County trail fee. Shelter, restrooms. Southeast of Madison, 68 County Highway B, Cambridge.

Lapham Peak (Delafield) Friends Snowmaking Page
17 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. State Park entry fee. Warming house, restrooms, lighted loop. W329 N846 Co. C, Delafield.

More Great Trails:

• Fox Hill Nordic (West Bend)
• Greenbush Ski Trails
• McMiller (Eagle)
• Minooka Park (Waukesha)
• Nordic Trails (LaGrange)
• Pike Lake Unit (Hartford)
• Scuppernong (Eagle)

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North of Madison

Black River State Forest (Millston)
24 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. State trail pass required.

• Trail Map brochure
• Black River State Forest website

Coloma Village Park
4.75 miles of Skate and Classic trails groomed regularly by Coloma Pathfinders Club. Similar to Elver in that it is a park with open ballfield area that goes into a more sheltered wooded trails. Wide lanes for skate, 2-way classic, easiest trails are close to lot. FREE!! Address: 300 No Front Street, Coloma, WI

• Trail Map

Devils Lake State Park (Baraboo)
The park periodically grooms the Steinke Basin loop (2.5 miles, easy) for classic and the Johnson Moraine (2.8 miles, easy) for skate. Confirm trail conditions with park staff. State Park entry fee. In the Baraboo Hills. Trailheads are on HWY DL.

Iola Winter Sports Club
12.4 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Trail fee. Chalet and rentals (weekends). E398 County Rd MM, Iola.

• IWSC website

Lodi Golf Club
3.8 miles, easy and intermediate. They try to groom 3-4 days a week and before all ski team practices. Lakeland Hills Country Golf Course, 300 Prospect Ave, Lodi.

• Lodi Ski Club website

Mecan River Outfitters (Princeton)
10 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Trail fee. Lodge, refreshments, rentals, cabins.

• Mecan River Outfitters website

Mirror Lake State Park (Lake Delton)
17.6 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Requires both a State Park entry fee and state trail pass (16 and older). Restrooms. Address for navigating is E10320 Fern Dell Road, Baraboo.

• Winter Trail Map (pdf)

Nine-Mile (Wausau)
18.3 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Trail fee. Chalet, restrooms, rentals.

• Trail Map (pdf)
• Marathon County website

Plover River Ski Trail (Green Circle State Trail) (Stevens Point)
6.2 miles, classic only. No trail fee.

• Plover River Trail website
• Green Circle State Trail (DNR)

Rock Lake National Recreation Trail (East of Cable, WI)
18 Km of classic only trails. Beautiful trails and a favorite for club members staying across the road at Lakewoods Resort for the State Meet in February! Rock Lake Trails website.

Standing Rocks Park (Stevens Point)
9.3 miles, classic and skate, all skill levels. Trail fee. Ski lodge.

• Standing Rocks Park website

Underdown Recreation Area, Lincoln County Foresty (Gleason, WI)
20 miles of groomed XC Classic Trails just 2.5 hours north of Madison up Interstate-39. Overnight camping is allowed.

• Trail Map

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South of Madison

Lake Kegonsa State Park (Stoughton)
5 miles, easy and intermediate, classic and skate. State Park entry fee. Restrooms. Southeast of Madison, 2405 Door Creek Rd, Stoughton.

Rockport Park (Janesville)
3.1 miles, volunteer groomed. No trail fee. 2801 Rockport Rd, Janesville.

• City of Janesville website

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West of Madison

Blackhawk Ridge (Mazomanie)
11 miles, ungroomed, all skill levels. No trail fee. A former private ski area, now publicly owned. Hikers and snowshoers allowed on trails. Blackhawk Ridge Unit of the Wisconsin State Riverway, 6950 WI-78, Mazomanie.

Blue Mound State Park (Blue Mounds)
15 miles, all skill levels, most trails are groomed for classic when conditions permit. Requires both a State Park entry fee and a state trail pass (16 and older). Check first to find how this venue is groomed. Restrooms, warming shelter. Address for navigating is Mounds Rd, Barneveld.

• Blue Mound Trail Map w/ distances in kilometers

Governor Dodge State Park (Dodgeville)
12.5 miles, classic only, intermediate and advanced. State Park entry fee. Restrooms. 4175 WI-23, Dodgeville.

House on the Rock Resort (Spring Green)
No longer groomed. Only resort guests are allowed to ski on the trails.

Indian Lake Park (Marxville)
9 miles, classic only, intermediate and advanced. City/County trail fee. Restrooms. Northwest of Madison on HWY 19, three miles west of HWY 12. Address for navigating is 8183 Hwy 19, Cross Plains.

Stewart Park (Mt. Horeb)
5 miles, ungroomed, challenging hills. No trail fee. Restrooms. Hikers and snowshoers allowed on trails. 3106 Cty Hwy JG, Mount Horeb.