With summer fading and winter creeping, we find ourselves frantically trying to spend every waking moment outside. While the weather is still above -25 degrees, these last few weeks of fall are a perfect opportunity to appreciate Madison’s colorful fall scenery. Here are three things to do in Madison while the sun is still shining!
Arboretum
This is a definite place to check out at least once during your time at Madison. It’s one of those places that almost every student has heard of, but few have actually ventured to see. So what exactly is this “arboretum” place? The UW-Madison Arboretum, founded in 1934, is an effort by the University to restore the ecological community of Madison. Aka: it’s a huge park that’s all yours to enjoy!
For students, the Arboretum is the perfect scenic getaway: it’s close, it’s free and it’s the perfect place to destress pre or post that godforsaken midterm. If you have an afternoon, or even an hour, to enjoy the outdoors, check out the many different landscapes of the Arboretum: prairies, wetlands, Lake Wingra, savannahs, coniferous forests — really, there’s everything! You can ride your bike, walk the dog, go on a stroll (or run for the ambitious out there), lounge around with friends, have a picnic date…or chase wild turkeys.
Yup, that’s right. Wild turkeys. My friends and I spent the afternoon exploring the grounds, climbing trees and chasing what looked like a baby dinosaur (turned out to be a turkey). If you can, visit while it’s (semi) warm and the leaves are still colorful! It’s a mere 10 minute drive down Monroe Street from Camp Randall and buses run there too. But if you don’t get there before the first snowfall, no fear: winter, spring, summer are all gorgeous seasons to visit the Arboretum!
Canoeing
The best way to experience our waterfront campus is via canoe. For only $8 an hour, any Madison student can rent a canoe, paddles and life vests from the Outdoor Rental shop on the Terrace. For those of us whose only familiarity with the technique of canoeing comes from our dear friend Pocahontas, the Disney movie pretty much covers all you need to know. Grab one or two friends (three people max per canoe), stick your plastic stick into the water, move it around and away you go!
The permissible paddling boundaries span all the way from Picnic Point to James Madison Park – which even for the experienced paddler is no small feat. Bring a few snacks, some music, a few blankets to lie down and you’ve got yourself the perfect floating hammock. Canoeing on Mendota is the perfect way to relax under the sun, take in an awesome view of campus and bond with a friend.
Biking
Madison is a great town for biking. But what isn’t so great is the 85 zooming past your face or the 30,000 student pedestrians. My solution? To bike the nature bike paths on the outskirts of campus. Not only are these paths charmingly scenic — especially with the fall colors! –but they also offer a slice of nature and peace on our sometimes hectic campus. Two paths are a must: Lake Shore and South West. If you’re a student, I’m assuming you’re aware that our campus sits on a lake. But what a few students may not know is the hidden gem of Lake Shore path which starts at the Terrace and continues out to Picnic Point and beyond.
The “beyond” is the key: muster up a little more muscle and keep peddling past Picnic Point and you’ll reach Eagle Heights community, University Housing community gardens and the charming Shorewood Hills neighborhood. Or head further south and ride the South West bike path. Starting behind the Kohl Center, this paved bike path takes you through the south end of campus, past Camp Randall and at least 10 miles out west. Whether you’re looking for an intense ride — at a solid speed it’s about 40 minute — or a leisurely day out, this path offers a scenic route under the falling leaves.