Photo taken from the second floor of the Bakke Center. Strength and Cardio equipment can be seen from the first floor up to the third floor.

Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center

When & Where

The Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center (Bakke) is the second building project of the master plan and the third project overall. The building is named for lead donors Jim (’77) and Sue Bakke.

The Bakke (bah-kee) Center features spaces dedicated to supporting wellbeing services (such as the Wolf Teaching kitchen, restorative studios, and rooms for massage therapy, peer wellness coaching, and meditation), as well as a 25-yard recreational pool, eight multipurpose courts, Sub-Zero Ice Center, a climbing and bouldering wall, sports simulators, multipurpose studios, an indoor jogging track, a rooftop fitness area, and over 29,000 square feet of fitness space.

TODAY’S HOURS

BAKKE RECREATION & WELLBEING CENTER

1976 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 262 - 8244

Daily Schedules

Hours of Operation

May 15 – June 18

Day of the Week Hours
Monday - Friday 10am - 8pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am - 8pm

June 19 – August 27

Day of the Week Hours
Monday - Thursday 6am - 10pm
Friday 6am - 8pm
Saturday - Sunday 8am - 8pm

Adjusted Hours

Date Hours
May 26 10am - 6:30pm
May 27 - May 29 Closed
July 3 6am - 6:30pm
July 4 Closed

Check back in July 2023 for fall hours.

Check back in November 2023 for winter break hours.

April 24 – May 14

Day of the Week Hours
Monday - Friday 10am - 8pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am - 8pm

Adjusted Hours

Date Hours
April 24 11am - 8pm
May 13 Closed
May 14 Noon - 6pm

Check back in January 2024 for spring break hours.

The level 2 fitness area (from west to east on the north wall) and the Willow Room/Deck will be closed until further notice for maintenance.

Live Building Usage

Level 1 Fitness

Level 2 Fitness

Level 3 Fitness

Level 4 Fitness

Bakke Track

Courts 1&2

Courts 3&4

Courts 5-8

Orbit

Willow Room

SubZero Ice Center

Cove Pool

What to Expect

Original Natatorium Updated Natatorium* Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center**
Fitness space (sq. ft.) 5,353 11,028 29,000+
Courts 8 7 8
Ice rink No No Yes
Pool 8-lane, 25-yard competition
pool and diving well
8-lane, 25-yard competition
pool and diving well
8-lane, 25-yard recreational
pool
Wellbeing Services No No Yes, 4,300 sq. ft
Indoor jogging track No No Yes, 3 lanes, totaling
1/8 to 1/5 of a mile
Multipurpose rooms 0 1 5
Performance Training Center No Yes Yes
Teaching Kitchen No No Yes
Sport Simulators No No Yes

*In order to account for the closure of the Southeast Recreational Facility (SERF) in August 2017, we made several changes to the Natatorium to increase overall fitness space and usability for our students and members.

**Specs are based on initial design work and may change throughout the planning process based on facility efficiency and programming needs.