A favorite of university students and staff, the Lakeshore Nature Preserve stretches along the middle of Lake Mendota's southern shoreline. Clouds of gnats hover under the trees this time of year, while dragonflies flit merrily by. You can reserve fire pits along the Picnic Point peninsula, but you can also visit a biocore prairie or oak-filled woods in other parts of the preserve.
It's easy to escape the drone of street traffic at Lakeshore. The sounds of the creatures and the waves splashing up to the sandy shores demand that I turn off my ipod. Sorry, Andrew Bird. There are actual bird songs here.
The end of the peninsula was recently reconstructed. The changes aren't necessarily for the better. A large stone circle and viewing platform at the water's edge now take the place of the formerly rugged tree line. The area is more open and accessible, but it's a little too tame now. Still, I would never turn down a walk here.
*Why do we say "a pair of binoculars" but don't say "a pair of bicycles"? And isn't "a pair of binoculars" a little redundant?