TOWN PARKS
A variety of parks and open spaces exist throughout the Town of Dunn. Public open space areas include large parcels of conservancy, small mini-parks, minimally developed neighborhood parks, active use County parks, several lake access and boat launch sites, a few greenways in between residential housing, and sizeable areas of open water. The Town owns 36 sites; Dane County owns several sites; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin, Inc. also owns land in the Town. Please be aware that all Town PDR properties are not open to the public. There are no unauthorized motor vehicles or no horses allowed. Dogs must be on a leash at all times and pet waste must be picked up and properly disposed of.
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Town Parks and Open Space Plan Update
The Town Board approved an update to the Town Parks and Open Space Plan on December 21, 2020. Such an update occurs every five years. You can view the plan here.
The 2026-2030 Parks and Open Space Plan has been recommended for approval by the Parks Commission and is awaiting final approval from the Town Board. You can view the update here.
Need Help Finding a Park? Click below to bring up the park on Google Maps:
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Reminders:
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Please clean up after and keep your pets leashed on Town Parks. The Town has received numerous complaints of dogs running loose and pet waste not being clean up. Many of our parks are conservancy lands that are home to prairie plants and birds. Unleased dogs also interfere with walkers and have gone on private properties.
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Motorized vehicles, including snowmobiles and ATVs, are not allowed in Town Parks or on Town property. Please only use designated and approved routes.
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Town property is not to be used for storage of private property or other private use. ​
2025 Parks Survey
Using input from past surveys, the Parks Commission, and town staff, the Town developed a community survey that was sent to its residents in the spring of 2025. Residents were notified via Townwide mailing, and 145 digital surveys were completed. The survey asked about current park usage and access and residents’ opinions regarding the priorities for the parks system. Results will be incorporated into the Town’s 2026-2030 Parks and Open Space Plan.
Highlights include:
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Residents identified maintaining existing parks, refurbishing existing park facilities, and creating new amenities as the top three priorities for the Town.
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If the Town were to create a new park or facility, respondents strongly preferred a nature preserve with walking trails. The next most preferred new park/facility types were separate bike/walking trails and a lake or river access park.
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32% of respondents visit a Town park more than once per week, while 23% visit once a week, 16% visit once a month, and 10% have never visited.
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When asked why they didn’t use Town parks more often, the top three reasons in order were “poor condition of parks and facilities,” “not enough time” and “I cannot walk or bike to a park.”
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Respondents were asked to name the park their household uses most often. Dunn Heritage Park was overwhelmingly the most popular park. Spartan Hills Park was the second-most popular, and Simpson and Sterna were tied for third.
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2026 Native Prairie Prescribed Burning
Conditions and weather permitting, spring prescribed prairie burns may occur at Town parks. Prescribed burning helps maintain healthy prairie ecosystems by stimulating native plant growth and controlling woody vegetation and invasive species. Not only is it one of the most efficient management tools, it’s also one of the most cost-effective.