Let’s kick off TSM’s participation in the Dane County Parks Challenge with a 3.3-mile circular hike around the Pheasant Branch Conservancy loop!

The trail is a mix of pavement, crushed gravel, and boardwalks and offers a scenic, mostly flat route through beautiful marshland, prairies, and forests. We’ll keep our eyes open for wildlife, including a pair of eagles that has nested in the park for many years. If we’d like, we can take a short detour down to the bubbling Frederick Springs, the headwaters of Pheasant Branch Creek.

Set your GPS for Orchid Heights Park, Middleton, WI. The drinking fountain and restrooms probably won’t be open for the season, but there’s a Porta-potty at the trailhead. 

Dress for the weather. Wear comfortable walking shoes or boots that can get wet and/or muddy. March can be mud season! Bring a water bottle, walking poles, and binoculars if you’d like. 

RSVP to Judy by Friday, March 6, at jrweidman2@gmail.com