Reviews of Governor Nelson State Park (Park)

5140 County Highway M, Waunakee, WI 53597, United States

Average Rating:

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We've got the feddbacks of people like you who purchased the products of Governor Nelson State Park (Park) near to the state of Wisconsin.

At the moment the business gets a rating of 4.5 stars over 5 and the score has been calculated on 328 reviews.

You may have noticed that its rating is practically the best one, and it's based on a very high number of feddbacks, so we can conclude that the assessment is quite reliable. If there are many people who bothered to give their opinion when they've done well, it works.

As you know, we do not usually stop to write tatings when they are correct and we usually do it only if we have had a problem or incidence...

This Park belongs to the category of State park.

Where is Governor Nelson State Park?

REVIEWS OF Governor Nelson State Park IN Wisconsin

Natalie S

Love walking here and I remember this place when I did the fun run in middle school. Great photo op area and scenery!

Melanie Kohls

Small but lovely park with seasonal trails for pretty much every season. We hiked the Woodland Trail last week when the other trails were too muddy. The shady trail was a welcome relief from the sun! The lake is nice too - there's a small lighthouse you can walk out too. There are public restrooms and lots of space to put a boat in, if you're trying to do that!

Cindy Pepper

Nice trails. Had a place to clean fish. Nice beach. Would have been 5 star if beach wasn't closed.

Allegra Tennis

This State Park is a beautiful gem in the midst of a populous county. Hike, ski, relax... and you can almost place yourself far in the wilderness.

Erika Nowlan

I love coming here with my dog. There's even a dog beach, and plenty of trails we're allowed to use. We drive in further, near the boat dock, for access to the trails. I highly recommend hiking here with your pup!

Francis Friend

amazing powers

Nice place

john kincaid

Excellent breads. Great biscuits & gravy. On trendy Williamson Street

Mike Kleist

Great views of the Madison skyline. Spacious and well kept areas for grilling and playing.

JIM DuBois

Great boat landing

Claire Stein

Great beach and swimming area

Sasha Troha

Truly a gem.

Anna E

Nice trails, easy access to beach and dog beach. Trails quite marshy in the spring.

Scott Perkins

Elizabeth Benn

Convenient, close to the city for when you need to get away.

Kurt Zelm

Decent park, nice off leash dog area by the water. Sad news, as soon as there is snow on the ground, it’s “frowned upon” (aka there are signs posted saying you’ll receive a fine) to hike the trails because they’re supposed to be only used for cross country skiing. I haven’t been stopped yet but it’s annoying that one of the only state parks in the Madison area is basically shutdown to hikers in the winter.

Paul Bruce

Very nice area....

Mahmoud Hegazy

An awesome place on tge shore of lake Mendota

Gecko0 Games

Cute park with a small pet swimming area. Great for long trail walks or Instagram photoshoots in the woods

Erin Peters

So close to the city, a great quick getaway. Nice trails and an OK beach. Sometimes there can be a lot of goose poop - don't feed the birds!

Livia Saunders

right down the road. get a yearly pass - good at all state parks!

Ryan Gilbert

Well maintained. My dog and I both love our time here

Marie Wolford

Nice quiet park, great fishing spot

Theodore Weege

Beautiful and quiet trails.

Joe Tennies

Hiking trails, boat launch into Lake Mendota, beach, swimming

Thaadd Powell

Nice trails with a variety of cover. Nice to take the dogs!

Lance Raney

Good trails good park.

rachel dodge

Very clean and love the view of the water.

Lowell Boettcher

Neat place

Joel Kluewer

Good boat launch facility

Christopher Young

Great Park to walk around or go for a swim.

Jimmy Zhao

Andrew Derousseau

Really nice hiking trails. If you cross country ski you'll love it even more, they maintain the trails all winter. Beautiful prairies, cozy forest and tranquil lakefront. It's a very scenic park.

Ken Lambrecht

Great year round park! Well maintained trails and docks!

Eric Helton

The park is not a state park where you can camp and is not very large, but it's a wonderful place to spend the day. The trails are nice to hike and vary between hills and flat and wooded and prairie. The beach and play areas are great for the kids, with a separate beach area for dogs. Lots of picnic tables and grills. There is a boat launch for motorized boats and a nice side area that is well-suited for canoes and kayaks. There's a fish cleaning sink. The trails are groomed for cross country skiing in the winter. You can view the Madison skyline across the lake all year long.

Cap_N _Munch

You're a 6 mile walk from the carnival. Put up some lights, or do something up draw bugs away from eating areas.

Ryan Brady

Very nice park

Tony Morton

A very nice park, it is hard to believe how close to urban areas the park is.

Derek Henscheid

Nice state park just north of Madison with some easy hiking trails. Mostly grassland/prairie with a mile or so of woodland hiking with well marked Native American landmarks.

Jen LAX

The beach was VERY gooey! My son actually got stuck in it because he buried his feet in it and I had to go pull him out. He learned his lesson though and didn't get stuck again. :) Overall it's a nice park and beach other than the quicksand like goo. Beautiful view of the Capital too!

Giselbert Parkhurst

We enjoy this park for hiking, pick nicking and the play ground. The park is never very busy and they have carts to use to haul things to the park area. Nice mix of trails that are through the woods and prairie. You do have to watch carefully when hiking since the trails aren't marked great. We enjoy the park area for the view of the water and Madison. Also like all the shade and breeze, perfect for relaxing or a picnic.

Aaron Kaio

Classic Dane county park. Different trails for woods and prairie hikes. One trail has information stops and mounds. There is a small park with an antiquated play structure. The beach is a little gross with stinky algae and dirty sand, but fine as a Midwest beach. However, I appreciated the shallow swim area for little kids. Mosquitos can be intense in the woodland trail in July.

Travis Mountford

Awsome state park. Lots of trails and water

April Peterson

Saw snek. 11 out of 10.

Anthony Frawley

Great for trail running. I have been looking for a great place for trail running. FOUND IT!

Felipe Hernandez

Governor Nelson State Park is fantastic! The trails and the wildlife that you encounter are amazing!

Audrey Ogden

I would like to explore the trail system more. Was able to see the boat landing and small swimming area and playground seems well taken care of.

Ryan R

Mostly for the easy access boat launch

John Cramer

Great place for swimming & walking trails

Brad Allen

Amazing trails!

Jessica Greve

Good for low-key walks

Gwen Luedtke

It was fine. to much garbage in the pond though but it loved the playground

David McCann

Had a picnic in the beach shelter. Great location for the picnic. Highly recommend for anybody having a picnic.

Eugene Blum

Really nice park

Zach Feig

Good job Wisconsin!

Ryan Posthuma

+ Nice clean place. -was told there was hot showers. There was not.

Dylan Chisnell

Beautiful spot to be, and anywhere that allows dogs gets an extra star.

Jessica Schwab

Gorgeous scenery!

Cole

Nice park area with beach and a place for the dog to swim. Great views of Lake Mendota and plenty of parking. The trails don't amount to much in the Summer, but seem to be enjoyed while cross-country skiing.

Mason Maeder

Great place to hike and fish.

Ken Nordlie

Well kept trails

Pam Poglitsch

Friendly DNR staff to greet at park entrance. So much to do if you love the great outdoors. Farmer market is close by on the weekends.

Jenni Frencham

This is a great place for hiking, swimming, and picnicking. Will definitely go again.

JEFF PORTER

Laurie Pichla

Nice seems quite park just outside of Madison. Dog friendly is a bonus

Vicente Huesca Rodriguez

We get in 5:00 PM and we pay the full price $8.00 dollars. I think after certain hours the price can be less than full amount.

Shantal Alfaro

Amit Pandey

Just okay... Lacks garbage bins in picnic area

Kris Beaver

Really nice beach and walking/hiking trails

Brent Swokowski

Great trails for running, and a beach for the kids.

Chad Kiefer

No piers no lighting by launches hard to see at night would be nice otherwise

Kevork Muradian

Really nice park, well maintained with ample parking.

Jamie Woolet

Roger Bindl

A nice park for walking the hill and prairie trails, hanging out on the beach, or launching boat. Bottom of beach is a bit muddy like, and the lake can get algae, but it's still a good place for a day of mixed activities.

Donnie Garner

Nice park

Jules Crego

Beautiful lakeside park. Great hiking.

Nathen M

John Dahms

Nice hike

Mark Bennett

A real hidden gem in Dane County.

Heidi Hofkamp

Beautiful

David P. Fields

The scenery is not spectacular, but it is less crowded than many of the parks around Madison. It has a passable beach and playground for children.

Petrit Pula

they have courtesy carts for your stuff

Lauri Zaruba

Beautiful area!! Had a wonderful time out boating n fishing.

Lizzy Marr

Love the dog friendly swim area!

Michael Kenney

Great location on Lake Mendota with a beautiful view.

Calissa Houtler-McCoy

It's a beautiful park, and has an amazing view of the Madison skyline. However, the bathrooms are a little gross, and there are no garbage cans. But the park is beautiful. It has a large sandy beach and a wonderful picnic area. It also has a great boat landing.

Joshua Banks

Very nice state park within close proximity of Madison.

Mrs. Pasbrig

Water was not clean, very unpleasant smell

Nitya Patil

Love it. I went there with my friend and we enjoyed a nice picnic.

Jeremy Hohmann

Lots of well groomed trails,great place to get away from the city and take in a good dose of nature

Ashley Dragone

Beach and park were nice. The water smelled really fishy but clean overall.

Leslie Eshelby

Gov. Nelson state park is located on the north shore of lake Mendota less than ten minutes from Madison. In spite of the convenience and beauties of the park it is largely overlooked by nature lovers. This is too bad, because it has several miles of hiking trails through woods and open fields, features a huge wildflower meadow choc-full of sunflowers, and has a very nice beach and boat launch. Other reviewers have noted that the beach is occasionally socked in with seaweed and algae; this is a factor of wind and currents so often the beach is quite nice. Even for those who don't swim, kayak, boat or fish, the view from the beach and shoreline is splendid!

Collette French

Grab your leash and dog and experience 4 seasons of great hiking paths and pier jumping for your hounds. Loved that we can grab the girls quick and give them swimming opportunities in different weather when the lake is free of ice. Be prepared for boggy areas and some mud in spring and fall. Everything will wash and dry so it's worth the dogs getting a tub bath once home

Dennis Anderson

No Camping :( but a wonderful small park with a dog beach and a beach for people.

Malia Niles

Great for a hike or a swim!

David Luz

Nice place for party ...

Luke VandenLangenberg

Must visit state park on North side of Lake Mendota!

Joe Nolan

Fun park with plenty to do, including picnic facilities and a beach!

Laura Cullen

Our family and dog love the hiking trails here. The beach has a sweet little area for grilling, swimming, sand volleyball, and sand castle building. Restrooms are large and newer. Park has play structures. Dogs only allowed on trails and dog beach, not public beach area.

Shannon Corneil

Grass needs to be cut.

Alex Hill

Nice, well maintained park with a decent amount of hiking trails and a small beach with a playground.

Jesse Papez

Good park for trail runs or hiking, no camping though.

Vincent Spruill

Great park. A lot of nice trails. I wish it had a bigger dog beach but besides that I loved it.

Jeff Clark

Beautiful Lakeside Park with multiple Grill sites

Scott Osborne

Always like going here... plenty of walking trails to go to...plus easy access to the water... great sites

Jon Augelli

It's a great park that's very close to Madison. It's nice for walking or fishing in the summer and in the winter they have snow shoeing and cross country skiing trails that are very nice. I'd highly recommend it if you are on Madison west side and don't want to drive a long way for a state park.

Rick Lentz

Great boat launch, reasonable annual rates.

Thomas Berkan

Always a great place to visit and a hike and to enjoy the wildlife

Paulius Musteikis

E-Coli warning signs did not make impression. Dog beach is small and poorly maintained. Hiking trails look promising.

Ryan Johnson

Nice park!

O. William Bruins

Too wet and swampy.

Elliott Buxton

Very nice view of the capital with great seating and a nice Pavillion.

Odysseas

One of my favorite parks in Wisconsin. Everybody is nice. There's a boat launch, a beach, dog swim area, fish cleaning station, bathrooms. A prairie and wooded parts. A billion ground squirrels and dragonflies. During the winter there's skiing and during the summer the prairie blooms beautifully. It's a magical place tucked up right near Madison on the lake. Can't say enough good about it. Drive slow so you can avoid the cranes that occasionally wander across the road.

tommy h

The big Prairie is really full of seed heads now mosquitoes are incredible all in all a great experience

S E

This place is a horrible mess

Lorie Walker

Nice Park fot hiking

Matt Remus

Great Park! Nice beach with good sand. Plenty of benches. Clean bathrooms. The trails are good but no features to explore just circle paths

Elizabeth Habib

Nice, big park for hiking. There's a beach and picnic area too.

Jeff Vike

This is another one of Wisconsin State Park just outside of Madison. Well taken care of and nice to visit when we take our cycle out.

chugglebuggle angelwithinme

Beach, playground, trails, kite flying, snowshoeing, and fishing!!! I love this state park. I go here at least once or twice a week.

AZboyinWI

Taking advantage of free entrance weekend we went here to hike & check it out. We found pretty park with quite a few hiking trails & nice beaches. Even with a dog beach which was very nice. Helpful staff

Craig Roberts

Nice prairie and woodland trails. Check out the Eastern side for wetland views and an observation platform. Day use only, no camping.

Shai Clark

Governor Nelson is a prime example of the varied ecosystems of SW Wisconsin. In one visit you can stroll through mixed deciduous forest, crest a hill into prairie oak savannah, stroll through rolling grassland and squelch through native wetlands rife with turkey, Osprey and native crane species. Meadowlarks stop over in spring and I’ve even seen bluebirds. The park offers lakeshore with playground, 2 off leash dog areas, one of which is beach, a fish cleaning station and ample parking. With over 420 acres it there’s plenty of room to stretch out and feel like you’re alone. From the top of the grassland you’re offered sweeping views of the cusp of the unglaciated regions of SW Wisconsin. Within the forest itself you can visit ancient native council mounds and read about the first peoples throughout the park. This park attracts mostly responsible dog owners with well socialized pets.

koushik .b

Peaceful

Mister Jon

There is plenty of parking. Entrance fee is steep ($8 or $11/ day if you are resident or non resident). They do have annual passes as well. The park has a lot of potential, but could use some TLC. Infrastructure is crumbling. Beach area isn't that well upkept. Beach was full of green sludge. You can see downtown Madison and there is a boat launch available. Mosquitoes and bugs can be bad. There are plenty of trails through tall grass where you can see plenty of pollinators. There otherwise isn't that much to see

Jacob Harley

There is a lot of beautiful vegetation/plant life here. Some nice walking trails, a dog park, and a beach with a great view of Madison. We came here for a photoshoot and it was the perfect setting! I think Gov Nelson State Park would be a great place for a picnic or hanging out with family.

Marie Wasner

Thus hidden gem is a great family and pet friendly place to explore! We love the little beach and hiking trails!!! We visit this park several times a week!

Iam Ghost

Good hiking trails and a boat launch, but be advised there is no camping at this one

Charles Gervasi

It has a beautiful view of the capitol across the lake. There is usually a diverse slice of friedly people speaking different languages. The play structures are decent, and there are nice nature trails.

Shawn Brown

Very nice and big park.

Sriram Boothalingam

Sarah Medley

Absolutely beautiful

Jimbo Jacobs

Plenty of space available to picnic without being disturbed. Great area for recreation!

Rachel Lewandowski

Nice area for hiking around, but close to a highway and pretty small for a state park

Joseph Frey

A little gem

Patrick Williams

Not pet friendly. We saw all of the pet friendly reviews, specifically referencing a pet friendly beach. We followed the signs to the “Pet Swim Area” and found an old boat dock pulled ashore with two narrow entries for dogs to swim. No sand, rocky, kind of stinky. The signs said leash required, which ours was on, but every other dog there was off leash. We decided to drive over to the real beach. There is a sign that says “No Pets Beyond This Point” with an ordinance and $175.50 fine posted. It’s high time for Wisconsin State parks to formally allow dogs on their beaches. Fine people who violate the rules of the beach but don’t punish all dog owners for the behavior of a small few.

Cindy Justman

Beautiful day

Mitch

Nice park. Lind of a flat, prairie type park, but in thr lake with Good views of they city. Closest state Park to Madison.

Dan Sinclair

Andrew Foley

I like the park but as I have hit most state parks this is the one that lacks the most. No point for me to come here. Swimming is not great. Good place for a family reunion or similar event.

Rick Christiansen

Beautiful lake

douglas lee

Remember to pay your launch fee before you drive all the way to the ramp!!

Grace Vils

The weather was so nice when I went here! No bugs at all, but I think that's going to change in the next month. The trails running through this part are nice, ranging in terrain and elevation. The beach is also a nice sight, and the bathroom was clean.

Ryan Woods

Great local state park, very clean and the beach is awesome place for a grill out with the kids.

Tabitha Falch

BlackBone

Well kept & scenic. I go there specifically for the boat launch which is also really nice & the bathrooms are clean compared to most park bathrooms.

Firebirdmama37

Beach. Pet swim area. Two fishing piers. Great for boating. Awesome views. Nice short prairie trails where you might see wildlife. Dog swim area is poorly maintained as is the path to it. It gets very wet in Madison in the summer so don't wear good shoes.

Simeon Stala

It's a beautiful park. Great for a long hike in the plains.

Adam Carpenter

Several dog friendly trails including one ski trail.

Kimberly Ritz

Great short hikes. Clean beach. Not crowded.

Holly Henschen

Best trees in the county! The mounds are very special.

Brandon Korth

Was a really nice petite sized state park. The dog swim area is really bad and not kept up well. I'm not a fan of some of the trails that walk right next to roads.

julien logo

Be out in the nature and wandering with a soulmate across these trees and hear birds singing,contemplating the lake or boating...

Denise Lensmire

Nice park

Bill Taft

Lovely hiking through prarie, woods and along a beach.

Megan Storley

Awesome

Karla Mederos

(Translated by Google) Excellent place! (Original) Excelente lugar!

Matthew Balch

Don't destroy my fort!

Business Hours of Governor Nelson State Park in Wisconsin

SUNDAY
6AM–11PM
MONDAY
6AM–11PM
TUESDAY
6AM–11PM
WEDNESDAY
6AM–11PM
THURSDAY
6AM–11PM
FRIDAY
6AM–11PM
SATURDAY
6AM–11PM

PHONE & WEBPAGE

Governor Nelson State Park en Wisconsin
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