Wildcat Mountain State Park

Totally underrated hidden gem.
My boyfriend and I were looking for a late-​August weekend campsite that offered a lot of hiking and outdoor recreational opportunities but, as Madisonians, we were looking for something other than the usual Governor Dodge or Devil’s Lake. I stumbled upon the park during a google search and I’m so glad I did!
Tent camping sites were great and were within close proximity to the running-​water bathrooms, so we never had to use a pit toilet. I’m not very high maintenance but I admit that was pretty nice. Many of the sites are hike-​in, but the DNR supplies convenient wheelbarrow-​like carts you can use to transfer stuff to and from your car. It’s not that far so it’s really no big deal; the only annoying part is having to hike back to the car at the end of the night to put food away. We made that mistake the first night… and the raccoons made us pay!!!
The hiking trails were absolutely, completely gorgeous. Not really worth describing here, you have to check them out yourself. It’s really hilly though, so most would be too challenging for really little kids or people with disabilities. I’d highly recommend checking out the adjoining Kickapoo Valley Reserve for more hiking and heading into town for canoe rentals along the river. Not any good restaurants AT ALL nearby though so plan on camp-​cooking most, if not all, of your meals.
Despite poor weather, we had such an awesome time at Wildcat Mountain State Park, we wondered why we had never been there before.

Highway 33 through the park is a gorgeous, twisty, motorcycle-​friendly road. The actual park is outclassed by others in the State Parks system, but it’s still very much worth the trip if you’re in the area.
Actually, even if you’re not on two wheels, 33 is worth the drive. Take it slow and enjoy the scenery, folks.
There are some gorgeous, densely wooded hiking trails and beautiful views of the valley down below if you do get off the road. There’s a decent mix of evergreens and deciduous trees here; while it’s certainly pretty in the fall, I actually think early spring – just after the snowmelt – is the best time of year to check out this park.
The real drawback is that it feels like there’s less to do in terms of hiking, etc here than at many other state parks. I still recommend taking a trip out here, though.

Closed? Since when? This park was very open when I visited it on October 17 and 19, 2010. Amazing views of the Kickapoo River Valley and great hiking on the Old Settler’s Trail. Not sure about the winter hours here, but this park is definitely worth a visit. We didn’t camp, but there are plenty of campsites. Canoeing on the Kickapoo River too. Can’t wait to come back in Spring 2011.