Friends of Festge Park

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Friends of Festge Park Mailing address:
Friends of Festge Park
PO Box 44
Cross Plains, WI 53528

Friends of Festge is a volunteer group committed to restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the ecological diversity of Festge County Park and Salmo Pond County Park.

05/06/2026

I don't see it listed on the public Dane County site, but FYI the main park is closed for a few days while they do some updates. Stay tuned...

01/06/2026

The park is looking beautiful this time of year, stop by for a nice hike!

Unfortunately we lost some nice big trees during last night's storms. But the good news is all trails are open.
14/04/2026

Unfortunately we lost some nice big trees during last night's storms. But the good news is all trails are open.

30/03/2026

Our volunteer group has one UATV, our valuable piece of equipment that is used to navigate through the Driftless terraine, hauling people, tools and equipment to the site, along with many other uses. It was purchased and is maintained thru Middleton Power Center. Recently, we needed some maintenance and also, needed it back quickly. Yikes. Not only did they do the servicing quickly, they were able to bring it back to us, at 9 am, in time for the prescribed burn on Saturday morning, March 28th! Whew. They were AMAZING! It's a busy time of year. Whew.

They always do a thorough job and give us good advice. Our group has also purchased other pieces of equipment and tools and our volunteers buy their chainsaws, other equipment and accessories there too. This is our 5 star review!!

Jeanette Hoard, Sect./Treasurer
Gary Nelson, President

30/03/2026

Our prescribed burns on Saturday and Sunday (March 28th & 29th) were fantastic!! 88 Total acres were burned of cleared areas, prairies and woodlands burned. Thousands of emerging Garlic Mustard and Buckthorn sprouts are gone or knocked back along with other emerging invasives. Getting rid of the leaf clutter and burning old grasses will bring a refreshing new growth, other species of previously sown plants along with what will be coming up this year. It's going to be exciting to see what emerges. I'm personally hoping to see more Wild Geraniums nearby the main area and throughout the woodland savannahs. It is going to be an abundant year of plants at Festge Park.

Festge Park is open--be aware of walking in burned areas due to the soot. Some of the fire breaks were paths and we do have asphalt in places that will be good for walking, and to see the view from the Overlook. These burns are necessary so bear with this for a while. Birds will still be nesting and doing all they usually do at this time of year.

Stop by to check out what is coming up, do some bird watching, take a walk, or just bring something to eat and enjoy the beautiful Spring days. For those of you who may live close but haven't come up the hill for a few years, check it out--see our great green-built timber frame shelters, picnic tables, great views everywhere you look, nice walking trails and 3 outstanding prairies.

While our regular volunteers of Friends of Festge and Salmo Pond do restoration and conservation work, this Dane County Park is for YOU!! Part of our Vision statement is that we do this for Park Visitors. If anyone wants to be involved as a volunteer with Friends of Festge Park or wants to help us with financial support by being a member of our non-profit group, we welcome any type of participation.

Jeanette Hoard - 608-279-3755 [email protected]
& Gary Nelson

27/03/2026

Due to Dane County Parks' staff conducting a prescribed burn at Festge County Park, the Park will be CLOSED on Saturday, March 28th and will re-open after the Park is declared safe for visitors, likely on Sunday, March 29th. The prescribed burn will be in proximately of the main area (includes the Overlook) and woodland areas with walking trails. Once the areas and walking trails are safe for visitors, the Park will be reopened.

These burns are key for the health of the woodland savannahs and open prairies; this is only a temporary and short closing.

Friends of Festge Park,
Jeanette Hoard

A quick but lovely controlled burn this evening keeps the park healthy!
25/03/2026

A quick but lovely controlled burn this evening keeps the park healthy!

Below is our Fall, 2025 annual letter that we send to members and others within our community. As you can see, we are n...
10/02/2026

Below is our Fall, 2025 annual letter that we send to members and others within our community. As you can see, we are now in our 16th year of restoration of Festge County Park and Salmo Pond County Park! Wow. It's hard to believe its been that long and to see what we've accomplished is amazing! Gary Nelson started this project in October, 2010. If you can help us with this historic restoration project, we would greatly appreciate your assistance. You may send any donations by check to Friends of Festge Park, PO Box 44, Cross Plains, WI 53528.

Also, we are always looking for volunteers to help us in these two great Parks. We welcome groups, families and/or individuals. We can train you for basic tasks or if you are interested in becoming chainsaw certified or a Land Steward, there is training available through Dane County Parks. Come for a visit, walk our trails or take a tour of our work sites. You can direct any inquiries to me, Jeanette Hoard at [email protected] or 608-279-3755.
PS: Spring is just around the corner and we are already seeing and hearing more birds.

23/12/2025

Festge County Park and Salmo Pond County Park, along with other County Parks, is open all-year round. Our snow has receeded but there will likely be more on the way soon. As you enjoy these upcoming holidays with friends and family, and want to get out into nature for some fresh air, you can take a walk out to the Overlook at Festge and certainly to other areas and trails in the woods. It's still good bird watching with various raptors, including Eagles, Red-headed Woodpeckers and other usual winter birds. It's a scenic place to hike, go snowshoeing or just to admire the trees in the main area from a table in a Shelter. The 5-acre prairie between the bluffs and along Hwy. 14, is a popular area to walk around or to use snowshoes.

Throughout the years, I've had many conversations with local people who have been in the area for a long time and who haven't been to Festge Park for many years, or just haven't driven up the hill. Once people drive up the hill, they are amazed at how large the Park is and what is in the main area, like our two, green-built, timber-frame shelters, the refurbished and revised Overlook, Woodland Savannahs, and the old Ball Diamond prairie. And that's just what's on top of the hill!! There are so many views, with some easy access. It's a great place to take some photos, too.

I'm offering a challenge--drive up the hill and check out Festge Park, just to see what is there. 🙂 In all, it's about 155 acres. There are many trail maps to refer to, also. Jeanette

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+16082793755

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