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

August 28 – December 21

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

Adjusted Hours

Thanksgiving Weekend | November 22 – November 26

Day of the Week Hours
November 22 6am - 6:30pm
November 23 CLOSED
November 24 10am - 6pm
November 25 10am - 6pm
November 26 10am - 12am

Final Exam Week | December 15 – December 21

Day of the Week Hours
December 15 6am - 10pm
December 16 8am - 10pm
December 17 (Commencement) 8am - 10pm
December 18 - December 20 6am- 10pm
December 21 6am - 6:30pm

December 22 – January 7

Day of the Week Hours
December 22 - December 25 CLOSED
December 26 - December 29 8am - 8pm
December 30 - January 1 CLOSED
January 2 - January 7 8am - 8pm

January 8 – January 21

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

January 22 – May 12

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

Adjusted Hours

Date Hours
May 5 8am - 10pm
May 6 - May 9 6am - 10pm
May 10 6am - 8pm
May 11 - Sunday 12 CLOSED

March 22 – March 31

Date Hours
March 22 6am - 8pm
March 23 - March 24 10am - 8pm
March 25 - March 28 8am - 8pm
March 29 8am - 6:30pm
March 30 - March 31 CLOSED

Check back in April 2024 for summer hours.

None at this time.

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.

Getting There

Parking

  • Lot 67 (1 minute walk): located at 2002 Linden Drive. Controlled at all times, limited visitor parking availability, pay at gated exit.
  • Lot 57 (1 minute walk): controlled 7:00am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday, Free after 4:30pm & all day Saturday and Sunday.
  • Lot 37 (7 minute walk): controlled 7:00am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday, Free after 4:30pm & all day Saturday and Sunday. Timed parking stalls may be available.
  • Lot 36 (7 minute walk): located at 1645 Observatory Drive. Controlled at all times, limited visitor parking availability, pay at gated exit.
  • Lot 39 (7 minute walk): controlled 7:00am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday, Free after 4:30pm & all day Saturday and Sunday. Timed parking stalls may be available.
  • Bike and moped stalls are available in front of Bakke.

For more information on campus parking, check out the parking website for maps, restricted parking times, and more.

Bus

    • Convenient bus lines include routes A, B, 80, 81, 82, and 84.