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Raymer's Cove
4.8 ★★★★★ 237 Google reviews · Running trail in Madison, Wisconsin · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Raymer's Cove's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Nature preserve with hiking trails leading to a small beach on the lake.
What runners say about Raymer's Cove
“This location, besides being absolutely beautiful, has a great variety of early spring plants and fungi to identify.”
“I went around 6:45 in the morning and there were only a couple runners but very quiet and not many people which was very nice.”
Definitely a hidden gem near campus. So many trails following the water, some with entrances down to the lake. I hiked a good two miles and barely touched the many places to go over here. It's beautiful and quiet even though the city is bustling just beyond the tree line.
My partner and I are from Chicago, and we love to hike. We were looking for some free, fun things to do to kill time till galaxy bowling started. Google said this place was open till 10pm so heck yeah we decided to check it out. There isn't much parking like other reviews said but we got lucky!
Love this little hidden gem, we discovered it last winter and our kids loved it. Came back to hike and they got to play in the water as well as observe some ducks.
It was such a nice place to visit! This was my first time visiting, and i really enjoyed the whole experience. When i got there at the beach, there was nobody around, so i was sitting in peaceful silence. But there are people who pass and stay on the beach, so it’s a social beach, but they come and go.
Trail conditions & character
“This location, besides being absolutely beautiful, has a great variety of early spring plants and fungi to identify.”
“I usually visit Raymer's Cove from the Frautschi Pt parking area, but if full, the Raymer's Cove parking may have spaces.”
“I went around 6:45 in the morning and there were only a couple runners but very quiet and not many people which was very nice.”
“I wouldn’t recommend coming when it’s raining because the paths are really muddy.”
“A little bit of rough ground and stairs to climb, keep that in mind if you’re going with small children or need handicap accessible hike.”
Plan your run at Raymer's Cove
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- Stroller / wheelchairReported as smooth and step-free enough for a running stroller or a chair.
- Websitelakeshorepreserve.wisc.edu
- Phone+1 608-265-9275
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 4 am–10 pm |
| Sunday | 4 am–10 pm |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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