Pheasant Branch Conservancy — Attraction in Middleton

What an amazing gem to have in our backyards!

To be clear- as someone that plans entire vacations around visiting national parks and hiking through some of the most beautiful nature on the planet, PBC is not somewhere I would recommend going out of your way to visit. But as a place to just stop and take a stroll on a random day after work, it cannot be beat.

Springs, streams, ponds, native burial mounds, forest, prairie, and two of the tallest hills around all lie within the boundaries here, and you can see it all within a couple hours of relatively easy walking. Or you can skip the side paths and get through the main 3 mile loop in about an hour, but you'll be missing a lot of what makes it so special. The hills have just enough incline to get your heart going without getting too sweaty, and the loose gravel is well maintained. I've also biked the loop many times on hybrid tires without issue, but you do need to watch out for gravel that has washed away, and parts of the southern path narrow and get a bit uncomfy if there's any traffic.

There are almost always deer & geese to see, but it's not rare to spot a less common bird (like the resident bald eagles). The river otter was the most exciting wildlife spotting to me though.

And it's a phenomenal backdrop for sunsets. I've just started my journey into mindful photography, but so far this is my favorite spot in the area to capture both the sunset itself and the beautiful light that a setting sun casts on everything else.

All-in-all, it's an amazingly diverse and beautiful chunk of land, and it's almost hard to believe that it's just sitting there as part of our local neighborhood. I think the only other places around that have any more beautiful or unique parts are Devil's Lake or Gov. Dodge, both of which are so much further away that it becomes a whole day event to go visit them. How fortunate we are to have this in...

Absolutely gorgeous urban park!

I was reading through reviews and I found pretty much every single one of the low reviews to be laughable! People complain of getting 4 mosquito bites, being able to see houses and not feeling out of the city, and there being better prairies or trout streams or whatever in the area etc.

The thing is....this is an URBAN park and wetland. If your intent is to find remote hiking, then this was never the place you should be seeking out and giving it a poor rating based on that is unfair. That's comparing apples to oranges. This park is literally 15min from Downtown Madison. It is in no way remote and given it's size and being surrounded on all sides by city, it is foolish to expect to have trails to yourself or not be able to see houses etc

I love visiting urban parks and green spaces and this is the best one I've seen in a long time, certainly the best I have seen in Wisconsin so far. The prairie was in full bloom and there were dozens of different types of flowers in bloom with several species of butterflies and bees all about. The main 3 mile loop trail around the park offered tons of different vantage points and types of habit to walk through. I was there after heavy rains and it was nice that all the boardwalks had anti-slip materials on every other board so it was super easy and safe to walk on.

I can honestly say I can't think of a single improvement I would like to see. It was...

My wife and I hiked the Pheasants Branch and Frederick’s Hill Loop, although listed as a 4-mile trail on AllTrails but clocking in at just over 3 miles according to our recording. The trail was a delight, with beautiful wildflowers lining the path and a pleasant, open landscape that made for a relaxing outing. The mix of walkers, runners, and cyclists created a lively yet not overcrowded atmosphere, and the wide, flat trails felt accessible for various activities. The conservancy setting added a serene touch, with a protected wildlife area that kept the core of the trail peaceful and less trafficked, which we really appreciated.

While the trail is rated moderate on AllTrails, we found it quite easy, making it suitable for most hikers with basic gear. We noticed a natural spring feeding into a small, muddy area, which added a unique element to the hike. The paths are well-maintained, though some spots could get slippery in wet or snowy conditions, so proper footwear is a must during inclement weather. Overall, this mixed-use trail in a neighborhood-like environment offered a refreshing escape with enough natural beauty to make it memorable. We’d definitely return for a casual,...