Located on the shores of Lake Mendota, Governor Nelson State Park is a great place to relax and unwind. It offers a sandy beach, green space for picnicking, and views of the Madison skyline!
A day-use park offers a 500-foot sand beach, boat launch, fish cleaning facility, picnic areas and playground equipment, prairie restorations, and over 8 miles of hiking trails. Native American effigy mounds can be seen on the Woodland Trail. Read on to know more.
Camping
Nestled along the shores of Lake Mendota, Governor Nelson State Park offers a number of camping opportunities. It has a sand beach, boat launch, fishing facility, picnic areas and playground equipment, prairie restorations, and 8.4 miles of hiking trails.
The park is a favorite spot for swimming, boating, hiking, and fishing. You can also explore Native American effigy mounds on the Woodland Trail and view Wisconsin’s Capitol skyline on the cliff overlook.
Boating
If you enjoy boating, then you’ll be pleased to know that Governor Nelson State Park Waunakee WI has a four-stall boat launch. It also has a large fish cleaning station and public parking for kayakers.
This is a good place to take out your boat on Lake Mendota, which is the largest lake in Wisconsin and one of the most popular for swimming, water skiing, fishing, and sunbathing. You can also rent kayaks here.
Located northeast of Middleton on the northern shores of Lake Mendota, Governor Nelson State Park often gets overlooked by visitors who come to the area looking for more obvious parks. But it’s a gem that deserves to be discovered by more people. This article is worth reading.
Picnicking
The lakeside beach at Governor Nelson State Park is a popular spot for picnicking, and it offers gorgeous views of the Madison skyline. You can also find a boat launch, a swimming area for pets, and restored prairie and savanna areas.
The 422-acre day-use park is named for former Wisconsin governor Gaylord Nelson and it’s a great place to unwind and relax in the beauty of nature. It has a 500-foot sand beach, bathhouses with solar-heated showers, a four-stall boat launch, a fish cleaning facility, picnic areas and playground equipment, prairie restorations, and 8.4 miles of hiking/cross-country ski trails.
The park is open year-round, and vehicle admission costs $8 for a daily pass or $28 for an annual one. Pets are welcome, as long as they’re on leashes no longer than eight feet.
Hiking
Located on the shores of Lake Mendota, Governor Nelson State Park offers 442 acres of Wisconsin outdoors. This day-use park features a sand beach, bathhouses with solar-heated showers, a boat launch, a fish cleaning facility, picnic areas and playground equipment, prairie restorations, 8.4 miles of hiking trails, and a scenic overlook of Lake Mendota.
The trails at the park offer a wide variety of landscapes including oak woodland and savanna and mesic and wet prairies. Wildflowers bloom along the way, and there are information panels and viewing platforms to help you stay informed about the natural world.
Off-Leash Dog Swimming
If you are looking for an off-leash dog swimming opportunity in Wisconsin, Governor Nelson State Park is one of the best options. The park is on Lake Mendota, outside of Waunakee in Westport and it has a beach, pavilion, picnic tables, boat launch, and fishing area.
Besides the off-leash area for dogs, there are also hiking trails for you to enjoy. The park is a great place for family vacations and to relax with your pets.
Pets can be brought to the state parks, but there are a few rules you need to follow. The rules include being on a leash no longer than eight feet, being under the control of the owner at all times, picking up waste correctly, and keeping your pet out of restricted areas. Next blog post.
Driving directions from Madison Window Cleaning Co. Inc. to Governor Nelson State Park
Driving directions from Governor Nelson State Park to Mendota County Park
