Lakeshore Nature Preserve & Picnic Point

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve permanently protects the undeveloped lands along the shore of Lake Mendota where members of the campus community have long experienced the intellectual and aesthetic benefits of interacting with the natural world.

Picnic Point, a nearly mile-long peninsula along Lake Mendota’s south shore, is among Madison’s most distinctive features and is probably the most popular destination in the Preserve. Each year thousands of students and Madisonians visit the Point for outings. In a hectic world of university life or city living, it’s nice to know that this natural area is just a short distance from where you live.