Madison's Northside: Warner Park, Cherokee Marsh and places to start

A short history

The City of Madison's Northport-Warner Park-Sherman Neighborhood Plan, adopted by the Common Council on November 3, 2009, describes the Northside as a post-World War II suburban area about five miles from downtown. The plan covers roughly the area bounded by Packers Avenue on the east, Wheeler and Havey Roads on the north, Lake Mendota on the west and Commercial Avenue on the south, and says about 10,000 of the Northside's roughly 30,000 residents live within it. It updates two earlier plans, one adopted in 1992 and one from 1996. It names Northside TownCenter, at Northport Drive and North Sherman Avenue, as a major commercial destination.

The Northside Planning Council is the area's community organization. Madison365 reported in 2018 that it was founded in 1993, began publishing the *Northside News* in 1995, helped build the Warner Park Community Recreation Center and opened the FEED Kitchens food business incubator in 2013. The council's own site gives its mission as improving quality of life and fostering equity through community organizing and economic development.

Warner Park

Warner Park is about 213 acres at 2930 N. Sherman Ave. on Lake Mendota. The city's park history says it is named for Ernest Noble Warner, president of the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association, who died in July 1930; a memorial committee raised money to buy the lakeshore beach, and the City Council accepted ownership in July 1939.

The city lists these features:

• A beach with swim ropes and no lifeguards, and a boat launch that requires a Lake Access Permit.
• An off-leash dog park of about 8.5 fenced acres, which requires a dog permit.
• Two playgrounds, including the Frautschi Family Accessible Playground.
• Ball fields, basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, sand volleyball and a skate park.
• Canoe and kayak launches, fishing, trails, and winter activities such as sledding and snowshoeing.

The Warner Park Community Recreation Center, at 1625 Northport Dr., was officially dedicated September 19, 1999. The city says its expansion added a new gym, a public gathering space and renovated locker rooms, with a grand reopening on July 8, 2026. It also lists a fitness center, pickleball courts, craft rooms and rentable meeting rooms. For more parks, see our parks guide.

The Madison Mallards

Warner Park is home to the Madison Mallards, a Northwoods League summer baseball team that plays at the Duck Pond, 2920 N. Sherman Ave. The city's park history says minor league and summer college baseball teams played at Warner Park from 1982, and that the Mallards have played there since 2001. Schedules change each year, so check the team's site; see our sports guide for other teams.

Cherokee Marsh

At the far north end, Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park lies along the upper Yahara River. The city calls it the largest wetland in Dane County, with more than 1,300 acres in three units. Cherokee Marsh North, at 6098 N. Sherman Ave., is 946.58 acres with 4.1 miles of trails, boardwalks with observation decks and a canoe and kayak pier reached by a quarter-mile carry. The city lists park hours of 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round restrooms and free monthly guided nature walks, and says dogs are not allowed. It names sandhill cranes, bald eagles and ospreys among the birds to watch for. See our birding guide and hiking guide.

Northside Farmers Market

The Northside Farmers Market meets Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Northside TownCenter. Its site says the 2026 outdoor season ran May 3 to October 25, so check for next year's dates. The site says the market grew out of the Northside Community Co-op, which opened a produce section in 2005 after the Northside was declared a food desert. For other markets, see our farmers markets guide.

Getting there

Metro Transit's map text descriptions, as of 2026, list Route B on Commercial Avenue, Packers Avenue and Northport Drive, and Route D2 on Fordem Avenue, North Sherman Avenue and Packers Avenue. Route 28 also runs on Sherman and Fordem during peak hours. Routes and schedules change, so check Metro's planner. Our getting around guide covers buses and bikes.

Places to start on the Northside

These are businesses in our directory with a North Sherman Avenue, Northport Drive or Packers Avenue address. Descriptions come from their directory listings. Hours and menus change, so check with each one.

• Willy Street Co-op North: the co-op's north side grocery store.
• Zippy Lube Coffee, Donuts, and Fried Chicken: a former North Side auto shop turned restaurant, built around coffee, donuts and fried chicken.
• Beef Butter BBQ: a Texas-style barbecue spot known for smoked prime brisket.
• Smoky Jon's Number 1 BBQ: a family-owned wood-smoked barbecue spot on Packers Avenue since 1970.
• Bierock: a craft beer bar with 24 taps, known for bierocks, the baked savory pastries of the Volga Germans.
• Dough Boy's Pizza: a father-and-son pizzeria opened in 2023, with crusts from tavern to deep dish.
• FEED Bakery Training Program: a training-program bakery selling preordered baked goods for weekday pickup.
• DreamBikes Madison: a nonprofit that trains teens to refurbish and sell donated bikes.
• Madison Public Library Lakeview: a library branch with a community room and study rooms.
• Niemann Ace Hardware Madison Sherman Ave: a hardware store on North Sherman Avenue.
• Boomerangs Resale: a resale store selling furniture, clothing and household goods.