Capital Springs State Recreation Area, just south of Madison along Lake Waubesa, combines recreation with a much older human history. The broader area spans about 3,000 acres, including 326 acres of state park land and 3,700 feet of undeveloped shoreline. Authorized in 2000 as part of Wisconsin’s state park centennial, it was planned as a shared state and Dane County effort incorporating existing county parks. The property also contains Native American archaeological sites recognized in 1978 as the Lake Farms Archaeological District, where Early Woodland people seasonally lived and left pottery fragments and food remains. The area now offers trails, picnicking, and lake access for boating, canoeing, fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing.