All-Season Fun At The University Of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum

Highlights of the arboretum

The arboretum is so large, over 1,200 acres (486 hectares), that it is a perfect place to break from busy university life, or if you are visiting as a family, it is a great place to let your kids run free. The flora at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum is outstanding and all hardy to survive Midwestern winters. You’ll find prairies full of native wildflowers, a large garden of blooming purple lilacs scented like heaven, gorgeous rhododendron species and hybrids, viburnum, and forests full of large trees.

I love the Longenecker Horticultural Gardens section of the arboretum, which features larch, linden, alder, pine, maple, and yew trees. This section is right near a free parking lot and is set on a hill. The trees are spread out, but provide ample shade for you to sit down with a blanket and good book for a day relaxing. If you want to spend a rejuvenating day in nature, I suggest you visit the Longenecker Horticultural Gardens.

In addition to the floral wonders here, the arboretum also protects effigy mounds, which are burial mounds often in the shape of animals, that were created by Native Americans more than 1,000 years ago. The grounds of UW-Madison hold more effigy mounds than any other university in the U.S., yet researchers are unsure which specific group of Native Americans created these mounds. You can see some mounds near Lake Wingra in the UW-Madison Arboretum to experience a piece of this amazing cultural heritage relict yourself.

Activities permitted in the arboretum

If you are looking for an active day outdoors, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum welcomes runners, hikers, cross country skiers, and snowshoers on their over 20 miles (32 km) of trails. Biking is also allowed on designated paved trails. Boardwalks run through marshes along Lake Wingra, providing a great place for birdwatching, especially of waterbirds, so don’t forget your binoculars.

Events, classes, and research

For those seeking educational enrichment, Madison is a great place to spend some time due to the numerous activities sponsored by the university. The UW-Madison Arboretum is one example of the numerous university facilities that offer public events and courses.

In addition to guided tours that can be arranged in the visitors’ center, arboretum classes occur throughout the academic year and focus on ecological restoration and natural history. Many classes are family-friendly as well.

For serious gardeners, conservationists, and botanists, the arboretum has an annual conference held each September that focuses on using native plants in your own garden.

The arboretum is also an active field site, with numerous ecology students conducting research and various ecological restoration projects. Many botany, ecology, zoology, and public health students from UW-Madison, Edgewood, and other nearby universities, colleges, and organizations frequent the arboretum for their own research, and certain areas of the arboretum are marked private for this reason.

Specifically for locals to the Madison area, the arboretum welcomes volunteers of all ages to help with gardening, summer camp activities, plant propagation, and more. Volunteers will enjoy working with arboretum staff to learn valuable skills that can subsequently be applied in your own garden.