Walking to Picnic Point

There are parts and pieces of Madison I haven't seen in three years of living here.

Now there is one less.

Madison's Picnic Point, part of the Lakeshore Preserve managed by the University of Wisconsin, is at least partially checked off that list.

Juicy air and warm temperatures that felt warmer because of the humidity abbreviated my first trip.

I parked near the entrance to the Picnic Point trail - one of many trails that intersect across the peninsula - and headed along the water until I walked down the steps to the point itself.  According to the Preserve's website - the San Francisco Examiner did a story declaring Picnic Point a popular place for kissing. As the website reads, "plan your trip accordingly."

Let's say I didn't plan well and was unaware of this part of Point lore.  I wasn't alone once I got to the point either, but perhaps the three others didn't get the memo either.  What I did have was a nice view across Lake Mendota to the State Capitol.

Yellow and black-eyed Susans light up the steps and several other areas along the walking paths.  There are great views and quiet spots for contemplation.  Native American burial mounds are covered in flowers.  A half-dozen fire pits can be found along the trails as well.

The 300 acres of land were privately owned until after the middle of the 20th Century - although University students and locals treated the private farm land as public property and the owner was gracious enough to welcome their guests.  Apparently, students still trespassing after dark were shooed away by a caretaker.  But, it wasn't until the 1990s that a crucial puzzle piece was given to the school so the preserve ran uninterrupted 4.3 miles along the lake.

Picnic Point is the long pointy finger into the lake, but a relatively small piece of this wonderful space.  In my short walk, I came across a couple of things I hope to blog about over the next week or so.

Better yet, if you make a trip to Madison - you owe it to yourself to enjoy the unspoiled land in the middle of the city.

It's a quiet place even when it's busy.  I encountered runners, people walking their dogs, young families, and good friends out for a jaunt. And, perhaps there was a couple or two looking for a personal memory from Picnic Point.