Vilas Park

Use 1602 Vilas Park Drive for the park and shelter or 1501 Vilas Park Drive for the beach. Vehicle access to the shelter comes from N. Wingra Drive via Mills Street and S. Orchard Avenue, not from the west.

A strict three-hour limit is enforced at all times. Bus parking is prohibited; buses may load on Wingra Drive, then must relocate to Bowman Park. No parking is allowed after general park hours.

The shelter restroom is open daily outside winter, when access follows staffed recreation hours. Beach restrooms operate approximately 11 a.m.-7 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Vilas Park has three playgrounds, including the landmark Old Woman in a Shoe slide built in 1962. They are separate from the adjacent Henry Vilas Zoo, which has its own entrances and visitor rules.

Paved paths and curb cuts connect developed areas, Vilas Beach has a seasonal accessible mat, and Lake Wingra has two accessible fishing piers. Parking distances and winter snow or ice can affect routes.

General park entry, parking, playgrounds, beach, accessible fishing piers, paths, lagoon, courts, fields, and Henry Vilas Zoo admission are free. Shelter reservations, skate rentals, concessions, boat storage, and organized sports charge.

Beach water quality is tested from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and there are no lifeguards. In winter, never enter the lagoon or rink unless Madison Parks lists it open; staffing and rentals depend on safe ice and weather.

Paved and park paths connect the beach, lagoon, playgrounds, shelter, zoo edge, and Lake Wingra shoreline, with broader trail connections toward the UW Arboretum. Some zoo and arboretum areas follow separate access rules.

Leashed dogs with the required Madison dog permit are allowed in general park areas where posted, but must stay out of playgrounds, the beach swim area, shelters, and adjacent Henry Vilas Zoo. There is no off-leash dog park here.

Yes. The park shelter is reservable, while unreserved fields and picnic areas remain first come, first served. Exclusive gatherings and additions such as alcohol, amplified sound, or temporary structures need the appropriate reservation and permits.

Yes. The 1602 Vilas Park Drive launch reaches Lake Wingra, but there is no trailer parking. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards may also launch here; seasonal piers can be removed for weather, ice, or maintenance.

Mature trees shade portions of the Lake Wingra shoreline, paths, picnic areas, and playground landscape. The Vilas Park Shelter is a large open-air structure with seasonal restrooms and about 28 picnic tables; in winter it becomes an enclosed warming shelter only during staffed recreation hours. The beach, lagoon, lake piers, fields, and open lawns remain exposed, and the adjacent zoo follows separate hours; during lightning, dangerous wind, or extreme heat or cold, use a confirmed-open substantial building or vehicle.

Vilas Park has a sandy Lake Wingra beach with swim ropes and an accessible beach mat, but no splash pad is listed. There are no lifeguards. Public Health monitors water quality from roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day, so check the live beach status before entering and keep young or weak swimmers within arm's reach. Do not swim when the beach is closed, outside the marked area, or near boat launches and fishing piers.

Vilas Park follows Lake Wingra and is adjacent to, but operationally separate from, free Henry Vilas Zoo and the UW Arboretum. Inside the park, landmarks include the sandy beach, historic lagoon and stone bridges, three playgrounds, and the 1962 Old Woman in a Shoe slide. Native American burial mounds overlook the zoo near Erin and Wingra streets and are protected cultural sites; view them respectfully without climbing or disturbing the ground.