Visiting Devil's Lake State Park
Wisconsin's Largest and Most Popular State Park
Hike the rocky hills and enjoy the sandy beaches of Devil's Lake State Park, the largest of Wisconsin's state parks.
Devil's Lake State Park is the most visited state park in Wisconsin, with more than 1 million visitors per year. Located in Sauk County, it is just south of the Wisconsin Dells and a short drive north of Madison. The park is centered around the beautiful Devil's Lake, but the grounds include the rocky bluffs and the meadows around it, all prime hiking terrain.
The drive in takes you twisting and turning down the hills until you reach the lake front. There are two beaches on opposite ends of the lake, the South Shore and the North Shore. A visitor's center is located at each end. Lifeguards are occasionally on duty at the beaches and roped off areas provide the safest swimming areas. No motorized boats are allowed on the lake, which makes it a good spot for "quiet" sports such as canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.
Swimmer's Itch is occasionally reported at Devil's Lake, but its occurrence has been diminishing in recent years.
The East Bluff and West Bluff hedge in the lake with towering tumbled rock slopes and trees and brush providing some shade to hikers. For a level and paved walkway along the base of the West Bluff, try the one-mile Tumbled Rocks Trail that starts at the North Shore. Either turn around at the end and repeat your walk back, or if you feel adventurous, loop back on the high ground of the 1.4 mile West Bluff Trail. The climb up to the top from the south end is steeper and more strenuous and the north end is less so, which may make you want to reverse your route. Start at the North End and head up into the bluff and finishing your walk with a stroll by the lake on the Tumbled Rocks Trail.
Between the two trails are large fields of boulders that visitors love to scramble over. Do so at your own risk. Rattlesnakes live within these regions in the park.
The East Bluff does not have a path along the water unless you count the train tracks, which are still in use. For the best views on the east side, climb the bluff to see the legendary formations such as Elephant's Rock, Balanced Rock, and Devil's Doorway. The East Bluff Trail is 1.3 miles and includes views of the lake and paths skirting past drop-offs. At the south end of the East Bluff Trail is the Devil's Doorway Trail, an easy paved walk at the top of the bluff. Three trails lead straight down bluff and all are steep and strenuous: CCC, Balanced Rock, and Potholes Trails. Once at the bottom you again have an easy, level, and paved trail called the Grottos Trail.
The Ice Age Trail loops around the park and involves varied terrain, from grassy meadows to the top of the East Bluff. Hikers and bikers share this trail.
For overnight visitors, there are many campgrounds sprinkled throughout the park, but they fill up quickly. Making reservations months in advance of your visit is recommended.
Summer is the busiest season with swimmers, boaters, hikers, bikers, climbers, birders, scuba divers, snorkelers, and other sightseers. Wintertime is a quiet season in the park although there is still much to do. Ice skating and ice fishing on the lake, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing are all options.
A valid vehicle admission sticker is required and the park is open daily from 6 am to 11 pm.
