Winter adventure in Madison

Our lake-city-lake landscape creates a one-of-a-kind place where wellness always wins year-round. Connecting people to lakes and landscapes is kind of our thing. From five lakes to 270 parks and 200+ miles of hiking and biking trails connecting surrounding towns, adventure is all around.

Winters in Madison are your chance to walk on water. Our frozen lakes make the capital city a top Midwest place to visit in winter. You can get energized by wintry weather as you snowshoe or fat-tire bike your way through town, or marvel at the frozen landscape while you sip your morning coffee on the frozen lake, just steps from downtown. Here, we think our frozen lakes are the perfect place for a party. Our frozen festivals are worth a trip on their own featuring high-flying kites, ice bowling and Lady Liberty herself.

Your next on-the-go getaway's gotta be in bikeable, hikeable, unforgettable Madison.

Madison is one of only two cities in the country on an isthmus. A downtown bordered by two frozen lakes means twice the outdoor adventure.

Frozen Lake. City.
Frozen Lake.

Lake life is better here: you get all the up-north fun with the conveniences of a city — all year long. Madison is home to five lakes (Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa and Kegonsa) and each have their own personality. Once the temps drop, the lake fun revs up with frozen festivals, ice skating, snowshoeing and more.

We take biking to the platinum level

No, seriously. Madison is 1 of only 5 Platinum-Level Bike-Friendly Communities in the U.S. which means biking in Madison isn't just a hobby, it's a culture. So much so, bike paths are often plowed before the roads on snowy days! Our bike trails sprawl through downtown and connect our vibrant neighborhoods to the surrounding countryside, meaning there's always a ride to fit your vibe. Fat-tire biking in winter gives riders all the thrills on the trails and on our frozen lakes.

Scenes you'll find only in Madison

Wide open landscapes. Jaw-dropping scenery. All with the iconic Madison skyline in the background.

You can walk from Lake Mendota to Lake Monona via the Capitol in fewer than 30 minutes, and you're never more than a 10-minute walk from a park. Whether you're wanting to skate on the lake or soak in the scenes from a winter dome, there's an outdoor adventure waiting for you.