Located about an hour north west of Madison, Devils Lake is one of Wisconsin’s precious treasures when it comes to state parks. Along with several looping trails and breathe taking scenery, there are also cascading boulders flowing down each side of the lake like a waterfall of earth, giving Devils lake a feeling of rarity within the Wisconsin area. Lets dive into some of the fun activities you can do while visiting!
Activities
Hiking At Devils Lake
Hiking has the stage light at Devils lake, giving wonderful scenic overviews of the surrounding area. You can spend one hour up to the whole day exploring the trails. Here are the ones surrounding the lake ranked by difficulty below:
Tumble rocks trail(1 mile): easy
West bluff trail(1.4 miles): Moderate
East bluff trail(1.1 miles): Moderate
East bluff woods trail(1.3 miles): Easy
Balanced rock trail(.4 miles): difficult
Pothole trail(.3 miles): difficult
I like to start on the tumble rocks trail from the north entrance and wrap around the west bluff trail first. These ones aren’t hard at all and give your body time to get ready for the more intense hikes! This also lets you hit the whole left side of the lake, giving you a beautiful overview of everything! From there I take a nice little ice cream break at the north beach and then hit up the east bluff, balanced rock and pothole trails! These trails are a little more intense than the ones from before but they give some pretty spectacular views! You can head down by the south beach and take the southern board walk back to the Tumble rocks, or circle back on bluff woods trail to return to the northern shore.
Bouldering & Rock Climbing
I LOVE bouldering at Devils lake! This is when you go off the beaten path and climb right up the large boulders surrounding the lake. While exhilarating, this is not nearly as safe as staying on trail and should only be done at one’s own discretion as you have to be weary of loose rocks, sharp edges, and dead ends. I cannot recommend you to do this, simply only inform you of its existence.
Rock climbers are also avid visitors of devils lake! There are several areas where you can anchor up with a billet and get to vertical climbing. If you’re looking to learn rock climbing check out the Devils Lake Climbers Guide!
Swimming at Devils Lake
Of course you can also go swimming at Devils Lake! There are 2 beach areas, one at the north and south entrance, that are perfect for a dip in the pristine water. There are no buoys or line mark offs though so don’t swim too far out. Its a wonderful way to cool off after a full morning of hiking.
Kayak & Paddle Boarding:
Whether you have your own or need to rent one out, traversing Devils Lake brings a stillness to the intense day. As the sounds of the crowded beach grow in the distance and you are surround by quiet waters, you have a chance to truly embrace the beauty of the nature that is surrounding you. I personally love to end my day this way.
Camping At Devils Lake
If one day just isn’t enough for you here(which I totally understand) Devils Lake comes packed with several large campgrounds and has over 400 camp sites! Pack up the tent, the bug spray, the Coors beer and that outdoor spirit. Reservations are required and can be acquired day of! Click here to learn more about the different camp sites and reservations at Devils Lake.
Family gatherings
What’s nice about Devils lake is its diversity as a state park. Besides hiking, swimming or kayaking, you can also celebrate birthdays and anniversaries without the worry of needing space. There are several outside charcoal pits with plenty of picnic tables and TONS of space for any fun casual activities. Plus, if you’re looking for a more private gathering they have a rental space called “The gathering Place at Red Oak”.
Devils Lake is truly a gem within the state of Wisconsin, dare I say even the whole Midwest! If you find yourself in the general area, or a lover of state parks definitely swing by. You might even see me there.
Till next time, wander responsibly!