Where: S5975 Park Rd, Baraboo, WI 53913
https://www.devilslakewisconsin.com/

Was it worth it? Yes, I give it a 10/10

Highlight: The beach and hikes

Suggested time here: At least one overnight

When we visited: June 2021

Wisconsin’s Most Popular State Park

I can definitely understand how this place is so popular! It’s about a three hour drive from the Twin Cities but it’s well worth the time spent getting there. A clean and clear lake, amazing hiking trails and three expansive campgrounds all add up to make it an awesome Midwest getaway!

Make Your Reservation WAY Ahead of Time!

Since this place is so busy, the campgrounds book up FAST! You can always check for last minute cancellations but if you know the dates you want, book them ASAP. You can find the reservation site HERE. We booked two nights of camping in the Lower Ice Age campground. Since we had a non-electric tent site, it ended up to be really quiet with lots of privacy. We were quite far from the shower house but we had a vault toilet across the road from us (which my boys refused to use, they just used the Great Outdoors). They have bigger spots with electric that are catered more to campers/RVs available in the other campgrounds. On the campground website there is a clickable map which shows you what each site looks like.

Be Sure to Check out the Beaches

The lake here is amazing! I don’t love swimming in all Midwest lakes, especially if they are murky and full of weeds. Not this one, you can actually see straight down to your feet in this lake! There are two designated swimming areas, the north and south beaches. Both beaches have row boat, paddleboat, kayak, canoe and standup paddleboard rentals available. The rental rates can be found online HERE. They also have an ice cream stand (at both beaches) and a concession store at the north beach location.

Hit the Trails

The hiking at this Devil’s Lake is incredible! Find the park map HERE. In addition, you can find detailed info on all the hikes, which include photos, more maps and difficulty levels HERE.

We had a big two days of hiking and did the Tumbled Rocks, Grottos, Balanced Rock, Devil’s Doorway, Potholes and a bit of the East Bluff trails.

Tumbled Rocks Trail

Tumbled Rocks trail is right next to the north beach area. This one was 1.3 miles of easy walking next to the lakeshore. The path is paved but not very well so it’s not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. You’ll quickly see why it’s called the Tumbled Rocks trail though. Kids will LOVE it here! You may not make it very far before your little one (or you) takes off from the path and starts to climb. If you’re here in the summer, you’d be better off doing this early in the morn or at sunset or those rocks will cook you.

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Balanced Rock, Devil’s Doorway, East Bluff, Potholes and Grottos Trails

We drove to the south beach parking lot and hiked a loop which included all of the trails listed above. We started at the Balanced Rock trail. It was a great way to see a lot of great views all in one hit. I don’t even know exactly how long we were hiking, at least a few hours. We heard that the trails can get pretty busy so head out early or later to avoid the crowds (and the hottest sun).

I wouldn’t recommend the Balanced Rock & Potholes trails for anyone with really young kids (unless they are strapped on your back) because they are steep and can feel pretty strenuous. It was about 95 degrees the day we were there so we got crazy sweaty and had to stop often for water and shade breaks but the views are SO worth the effort! Be sure to bring water, snacks and sunscreen. It definitely took us longer to hike than we expected it to.

Put This State Park on Your List

Whether you plan on camping here or staying in a nearby hotel, this park is a must see in Wisconsin! It’s open year round and in the winter there you can go winter hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, & sledding. We will be returning next summer for sure!

Add a Stop at Parfrey’s Glen

Be sure to make time for a stop at nearby Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area! A blog post on this beauty is coming soon! Stay tuned!

Have you been to Devil’s Lake State Park? Please comment below!

Happy Exploring!

More Info

• A Wisconsin State Park sticker is needed for entry (see HERE for purchasing online)
• Reservations are required for camping, no walk-ins
• Leashed pets allowed