Cross Plains State Park: hunting and access
Cross Plains State Park is 351 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dane County, 2 miles from Cross Plains. Hunters registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestNational forestNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasState parksNational park landOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCross Plains State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 351 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Dane County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dane County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Cross Plains |
| Nearest towns | Cross Plains (2 mi), Middleton (5 mi) and Black Earth (7 mi) |
What is Cross Plains State Park like?
Cross Plains State Park is located just west of Madison near the village of Cross Plains. This area contains an outstanding collection of glacial landforms, a gorge carved by meltwater and expansive views of both driftless and glaciated terrain. The state park is part of the larger Glacial Passage Area, a partnership project of public lands cooperatively managed by the Wisconsin DNR, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department and the nonprofit Ice Age Trail Alliance.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Cross Plains State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Cross Plains State Park as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
In Wisconsin state parks and recreation areas, hunting is limited to the seasons and the parts of the property the DNR sets for each one; the DNR's page has the details.
How many deer are taken around Cross Plains State Park?
Cross Plains State Park lies in Dane County. The DNR registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025, against 4,403 in 2024.
| DMU | Cross Plains State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 351 | 4,438 | 4,403 | 4,461 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Cross Plains State Park?
Nearest towns: Cross Plains (2 miles), Middleton (5 miles), Black Earth (7 miles) and Verona (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 14, US 12 and WI 78.
What other public land is near Cross Plains State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA): 4,676 acres, next to it
- Black Earth Creek Fishery Area: 441 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Military Ridge State Trail: 519 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Empire Prairies (Westport Drumlin) State Natural Area: 27 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Sugar River Wetlands State Natural Area: 261 acres, 6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Cross Plains State Park
Counting Cross Plains State Park itself, 1,944 of the 27,488 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Other county, city and regional land | 1,035 |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 580 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 172 |
| National park land | 155 |
| State parks | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Cross Plains State Park?
In Dane County, 2 miles from Cross Plains. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Cross Plains State Park open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Cross Plains State Park in?
Dane County.
How much public land is around Cross Plains State Park?
1,944 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Cross Plains State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA) (next to it).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wisconsin included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Cross Plains State Park; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.