MMSD Forest Loop

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Wildlife

The MMSD forest is a moderately trafficked trail system made up of short, well-marked trails. This loop is made up of a number of trails and although you may need to stop at times to figure out where to go at intersections, is definitely worth the work. You'll be treated to some hard packed singletracks, rolling hills, winding turns, and even some downed trees to hurdle.

Access to the forest is free and the parking lot is located on Fritz Road in Verona.

If unfamiliar with the trail system here, you should take a picture on your phone that you can refer to during the hike. The loop will require you to change trails often and the map in the parking lot is the only map in the preserve.

Start at the Prairie Relic Trail, which will take you up and down some hills. Follow the trail until its end and take a right at the intersection with the Wilderness Trail. Take a right onto the doubletrack Old Wagon Rd. Follow this trail for a few hundred feet and turn left onto the Forestry Trail. Follow this until it hits the parking lot, then cross the parking lot to the opposite end to hop on the Campground Cross Trail.

From the Campground Cross Trail, get onto the Oak Hill Trail. The Oak Hill Trail will end at Fritz Road. Take a left onto Fritz Road for a hundred feet or so and then turn left onto the singletrack Cliff Edge Trail. The Cliff Edge Trail is a little obscured, so keep an eye out for the trail post for the trail. It is located shortly before the first mailbox on Fritz Road.

Take the Cliff Edge Trail up to the top of a rocky hill and follow it down and all way back down to the Prairie Relic Trail. Turn left on the Prairie Relic Loop to bring yourself back to the parking lot.

This land is owned by the Madison Metro School District for outdoor education but is open to the public.