Southern Wisconsin's Silverwood

County Park Is Dane County's

Outdoor Classroom 

For Life long learners, homeschoolers, and field trippers the 300 acres

of Silverwood provide visitors a sampling of Wisconsin's varied landscapes, ecosystems 

and connectedness with the Badger State's latest agricultural innovations.

It is Fitting that a lifelong educator is inspiration for the novel direction the park took.

Irene Silverwood gifted the rambling historic farmstead (c. 1849) donated to Dane County 

in the spirit.

With two lakes, a captivating 60 acre, riparian forest with meandering

trails and test stations, open flat plains of prairie and an incubator for small farm producers. And test orchard for new techniques and culivars. The Savanna Institute is doing research on agroforestry at the park. Nut bearing and fruit bearing trees. take around 3 - 4 years to bear fruit 

The main house owned by Irene Silverwood's father in law more than one hundred years ago, legacy of the family immigrants from Yorkshire England, George Silverwood

in 1849 is the center piece/nexus for all these agrarian, trail hiking, horse riding, activities. Other other out buildings on the property offer storage options and a home for area bats.

For those who enjoy slipping on the their trail runners and hiking boots on site parking closer to one of the out buildings orientation to the farmstead gives a visitor a perspective

to Dane County's park properties. Recommend  so veer left and park near the county park sign from here you can walk by the plots of agri-preneurs like Yellow Dog before heading across the prairie of native flowers. Even in the fall the bulk or massings of native plants swaying in the wind anchors you to the moment and the land. Grid nature of these

paths makes it easy to find your way into the riparian woods that hug the two lakes nearby.

You will enter the woods at the very top of the ravine which slopes down to the shoreline of lake. The trail grades offer intermediate and beginner trails  some slightly steep slopes down to the shoreline thanks to the kettles and drumlins formed from the glacier during

the ice age as well as two vistas overlooking Lake..

[ Note the Aldo Leopold benches built and donated by  local scout troop.. ]

Kayakers and canoe-er-ists can either portage their vehicles down the ravine to the shoreline or store them at the bottom on racks from Dane County

parks.

Silverwood County Park

771 Silver Ln, Edgerton, WI 

www.silverwoodpark.org

Phone:  (608) 224 3730

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