If you live or plan to travel to Portage, Wisconsin in Columbia County, please use this page as a resource to better understand not only where to fly, but also where it is safest to fly a drone: Best Places to Fly a Drone in Portage.

Disclaimer: I am not liable for your decisions if anything happens to you and / or your drone. It may be worthwhile investing in DJI Care Refresh to keep you flying!

All photos in this post have been edited with Skylum’s Luminar 4. You can download a free trial version of the software from their website by visiting this link.

Google Map of Portage, Wisconsin: https://goo.gl/maps/9vvBsVqtBkyGw7xw9

Nearby Warnings

Portage Municipal Airport
2 miles NW of Portage, Wisconsin on 106 acres of land.

While the DJI GO app will not restrict your altitude in this area, be careful as there is a small airport nearby that is less than 1.58-5 miles from these parks and there may be frequent flights from time to time.

Because it is such a small airport with no central tower), there is no way to request an automated LAANC system like a larger airport like the Dane County Regional Airport (in Madison).

This airport shows up on Kitty Hawk (highly recommend to get this app) as Public Use Aerodrome (Operational).

Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital & Clinics

There may also be frequent helicopter flights to and from nearby hospitals and clinics.

I just want you to be aware of these possible risks in order to prevent an accident. Always fly with caution, as you should anyway.

1 — Pauquette Park

800 W Conant St, Portage, WI 53901

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/zSCqADSzhjKEBfb37

This is a good place to take off to take photos of the Wisconsin River, along with all the beautiful sandbanks and greenery. I would not recommend flying higher than 175ft above the ground.

2 — Rustic Road 49

Levee Road, Portage, WI 53901

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/kyQ4LmiqYDwNB5Js8

Southeastern Wisconsin, Sauk and Columbia counties. Dyke road starting at County T in Sauk County east to WIS 33 in Columbia County. It is 9.8 miles long.

3 — Sunset Park

1217 W Pleasant St, Portage, WI 53901

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/YpDRViFab7bA6p497

4 — Riverside Park

300 E Wisconsin St, Portage, WI 53901

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/MKRBKg7HfPVP59xcA

5 — Ice Age Trail – Portage Canal Segment

513 W Carroll St, Portage, WI 53901

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/QDBhd3MyiQ2Jtgyx9

This is a nice section of river and nature land.

BONUS — Another Section of the Wisconsin River

43.465041, -89.471794 (technically Dekorra?)

I found a small parking lot here where you can take off your drone and fly another section of the Wisconsin River.

Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/cSQhWost5miJBFo48

Notes

I omitted Silver Lake and Silver Lake Beach because they are close to the airport. It may not be impossible to fly there, but you are really limited to flying to tree level in this area because the airport is right there.

I wish I could include Cascade Mountain but they have a strict no drone policy on their website.

For obvious reasons, I am far from Columbia Correctional Institution in selecting my flight recommendations.