Blue Mounds is a community with year-round recreation
Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, is named for some of the area’s prominent hills, which appear blue from a distance due to the sky conditions. Blue Mounds is a village and a surrounding town located less than 30 miles west of the state capital, Madison. The mounds are home to two large parks that provide year-round recreation. Activities here include nature hikes through maple and oak-hickory woods, wintertime snowmobiling and exploring an ancient limestone cave. “It’s on the western edge of Dane County, so it’s a little quieter out here,” says Mary Michek, clerk for the Village of Blue Mounds. “There’s a lot of young families in the community. They come here because it’s close to Madison, but it’s like living in a more rural area. And people really enjoy having the parks as close as they are.”
Blue Mounds has ranch-style, traditional and Colonial Revival homes
The village has denser housing than the town, which is mostly rural land. Homes in the village are in hilly areas with a few winding roads and cul-de-sacs. Some residents live within short walking distance of Military Ridge State Trail, a 40-mile path that goes all the way to the suburbs south of Madison. Blue Mounds has ranch-style, bi-level and Colonial Revival homes. There are also several modern traditional homes and a community of manufactured homes. House size and acreage play a role in costs, and most homes go from about $250,000 to $500,000. Some homes with lots that are over 5 acres run between $650,000 and $700,000.
Outdoor activities include trails, winter sports and cave visits
Blue Mound State Park spans just 1,100 acres and has over 20 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and wintertime cross-country skiing. Visitors here may go up some observation towers to get sweeping views of the rolling, forested hills. Other park amenities include a campground and a seasonal pool and splash pad. Although smaller, neighboring Brigham County Park offers similar outdoor attractions. Brigham County has some of the lowest light pollution of all Dane County parks, making it popular for stargazing and seeing northern lights. Cave of the Mounds draws many tourists annually. The ancient site’s colorful formations include soda straws and cave pearls. The area is also close to Tyrol Basin’s ski slopes.
Blue Mounds offers a cafe and long-time bar
Residents may start their day with breakfast at Obert Alvin Coffee House. “It’s set in an old opera house that’s been redone and has an event space on the second floor,” Michek says. “It’s quite lovely.” The cafe has wooden floors, antique furnishing and a small library. Its decor also includes portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and a bald eagle. Hooterville Inn Bar & Grill has been a local institution since the 1960s. The bar is popular for its burgers and has traditions like a Friday fish fry. Located 8 miles east in neighboring Mount Horeb, Miller & Sons Supermarket offers the nearest grocery store.
Mount Horeb district serves Blue Mounds
Mount Horeb Area School District serves Blue Mounds and gets a B-plus from Niche. The district breaks up its elementary grades into different schools. Mount Horeb Early Learning Center, which gets a B grade, only serves kindergarteners. Mount Horeb Primary Center also receives a B and enrolls first and second graders. Mount Horeb Intermediate Center covers the remaining elementary grade levels and gets an A-minus. Students may then attend Mount Horeb middle and high schools. The middle school receives an A-minus grade, while the high school gets a B-plus. Extracurricular activities include jazz band at Mount Horeb Middle. Mount Horeb High also has a mountain biking club, which takes advantage of the nearby trails and terrain.
Nearby Mount Horeb hosts Summer Frolic
Residents usually go to Mount Horeb for annual festivities. One of Mount Horeb’s signature events is Summer Frolic, which occurs in June at Grundahl Park. The event spans several days, and its entertainment includes live music, carnival rides and a parade with marching bands. Attendees may also do a 2- or 5-mile run or compete in softball and volleyball tournaments.
Commuters take U.S. 18 to neighboring villages and Madison
U.S. Highway 18 connects Blue Mounds to nearby villages like Barneveld and Mount Horeb. Commuters also use U.S. 18 to go to Madison. The state capital has Dane County Regional Airport, located 35 miles east of Blue Mounds. Located about 20 miles west in Dodgeville, Upland Hills Health Hospital & Clinics is the nearest major medical facility in the area.
This area gets almost 50 inches of snow
Like much of the upper Midwest, winters here bring frigid temperatures and snow. The area can get nearly 50 inches of snow annually, more than some portions of the Midwest. However, Michek says winters here aren’t always harsh. “It’s not bad,” she says. “We’ve had several mild winters.”
