Less than an hour drive from Madison, you’ll find this delightful natural area: Parfrey’s Glen.
We consider it one of our top five favorite hiking spots. Parfrey’s Glen is beautiful, fun, and gives the kids a fabulous chance to explore.
But be warned! The trail has been significantly impacted by numerous recent floods. You’ll find a beginning stretch of paved trail, followed by packed gravel, and then dirt at best. This is not a stroller friendly trail. There are large bits of trail that are muddy, stony, and quite the scramble. You will be rock hopping across the river and you’ll need to keep a sharp eye on your little ones. Please don’t be deterred from embarking on a hike in Parfrey’s Glen. But do be careful!
There is a designated lot at the trail head as well as a park bathroom. Parfrey’s Glen is part of the Devil’s Lake group of State Parks. You’ll need a State Park Sticker for parking your vehicle, or you can put your day payment in a drop-box located by the bulletin board. The restroom is rugged and doesn’t offer a changing table or sink. There is a fun water pump at the start of the trail where you can get a sip of spring water, fill your bottles for the hike, or rinse off your hands and muddy shoes after your adventure. Parfrey’s Glen is very shady a great majority of the trail which makes it a fabulous choice for hot and sunny summer days.
Parfley’s Glen
Since the further up the trail you go, the more rock-hopping and mud-slopping you’ll do, we recommend bringing a change of socks and shoes for the trip back home. Who likes to ride in the car while wearing wet socks?
We saw an unbelievable number of butterflies, especially at the lower end of the trail. Bring your camera and your Field Guide.
And guess what? You can take a ferry to get to the Parfrey’s Glen area. And stop for ice-cream on your way home (again, see a later post).
This is nothing short of a great and memorable trip for your entire family!