Dane County and Wisconsin have a long history of land preservation. Thanks to the foresight of conservation-minded citizens, our parks, trails, and protected spaces will be here for generations to come. We're lucky to have such an abundance of natural beauty to explore — and conservation work continues so it stays that way.

If you're looking to get outside and get curious about the world around you, here are three apps we love for exploring and learning more about Wisconsin's natural spaces.

(the Ice Age Trail at Prairie Moraine Park)

Three apps for enjoying beautiful Wisconsin

FarOut for the Ice Age Trail

The FarOut app helps you plan your hiking trips on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail. If you're ambitious, you can track each segment you hike as you chip away at over 1,000 miles of trail winding through our beautiful state. 

Seek by iNaturalist

While you're out immersing yourself in nature, the Seek app helps you learn about the wildlife, plants, and fungi that share the land with us. Point your camera at a living thing, and the app identifies it and shares more information about the organism. You can even earn badges for spotting different species and completing challenges.

Merlin

If you're a birding enthusiast, the Merlin app helps you learn more about the birds that inhabit and migrate through Wisconsin. Its "life list" works like a digital scrapbook, letting you track the birds you identify by sight or sound. 

Wisconsin's natural spaces are part of what makes this such a wonderful place to call home. We hope these apps help you enjoy them a little more — wherever your next adventure takes you.