Attractions and Places To See around Cottage Grove - Top 13

Stone Bridge Park is a small lakeside gem along Lake Monona, sitting just west of Winnequah Road & Parkway.  It’s home to the Lake Monona Sailing Club, which maintains a dock, hoist, and space for about 20 sailboats during summer.  The park’s terrain slopes down toward the water in an amphitheater-style fashion, giving strong views across the lake toward Madison’s isthmus.  One of its more unique features is a historic stone pagoda in the southwest corner, fed by a natural spring (especially visible in the spring).  Also, the park has been part of a major stormwater / runoff improvement project — they installed an underground StormTrap vault and improved grading, drainage, and shoreline infrastructure to reduce flooding, erosion, and phosphorus entering the lake.

Stone Bridge Park in Monona is a tiny but stunning lakeside spot that punches above its weight. It’s got sweeping Lake Monona views, a historic stone pagoda fed by a natural spring, and a cozy launch area used by local sailors. The park recently got a major eco-upgrade with hidden stormwater systems that help keep runoff and pollution out of the lake. It’s one of those blink-and-you-miss-it parks that locals love for quiet sunsets, chill picnics, and a front-row seat to Madison’s skyline.

Long before it became the Frank Allis estate, the San Damiano site was a gathering and ceremonial place for Indigenous peoples, especially the Ho-Chunk Nation. The land sits along a natural rise overlooking Lake Monona—part of a sacred landscape once lined with effigy and burial mounds. One of those mounds still remains within the park today, protected and marked off from foot traffic. It stands as a quiet but powerful reminder that this shoreline was not just scenic, but spiritual ground long before Monona existed.

Lake Monona ( mih-NOH-nə) is a freshwater drainage lake in Dane County, Wisconsin, surrounded on three sides by the city of Madison, Wisconsin, and on the south east side by the city of Monona, Wisconsin. It is the second-largest of a chain of four lakes along the Yahara River (also including Mendota, Kegonsa, and Waubesa) in the area and forms the south shore of the isthmus that forms downtown Madison. The name 'Monona' is a word believed to mean 'beautiful', although the lake was originally named by the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) 'Tchee-ho-bo-kee-xa-te-la' or 'Teepee Lake'.

San Damiano Park in Monona, Wisconsin is a peaceful 10-acre lakefront property with over 1,000 feet of shoreline on Lake Monona, offering stunning views of the Madison skyline. Once the historic Frank Allis estate and later a Franciscan retreat, it’s now a public park blending nature, history, and quiet relaxation. You’ll find picnic tables, bike racks, and walking paths beneath big old trees, plus a few interpretive signs about its Indigenous and cultural past. The city’s long-term plan includes improved trails, native plantings, and better lake access, but even now it’s a perfect low-key stop for cyclists or anyone wanting a calm scenic break along the lake.

Cute little park, great views. Cool part of Monona history.

Birthplace of City of Monona. Built originally as a garage, this brick structure served from 1932 to 1952 as the only neighborhood grocery. Operated by early settler Ernie Ferchland, the store served as a meeting place for Blooming Grove Township residents who planned the incorporation of the Village of Monona. Dissatisfied with the services being provided by the Township of Blooming Grove, five residents of the area - Ernie Ferchland, Ray Owen, Ed Rothman, Walter Simon and Justin Waterman - met in Ernie's Trading Post to discuss secession from the Township. With a $300 retainer, they secured legal service regarding the process. Community meetings were held over a span of five months and, in spite of some opposition, a referendum to secede was passed (241 to 171) on August 29, 1938. Incorporation papers were signed on 1938. September 1, Monona Village comprised an area of 1.75 sq. miles with 350 families, population of 1100, and an assessed evaluation of $1.5 million. It also contained seven miles of waterfront, fourteen miles of local streets, 3.5 mlles of state highway, five bridges, three school districts and eight park areas. Justin Waterman was elected the first village president.

The Lower Yahara River Bike Path offers beautiful views of Madison and its landscapes. At its western end, it connects to the Capital State Trail.