Three million people a year show up to this Wisconsin park locked between 500-foot ancient bluffs

Devil’s Lake isn’t what you’d expect

Three million people show up every year to a 9,217-acre state park just south of Baraboo in Sauk County, about 35 miles northwest of Madison.

Devil’s Lake State Park is the biggest in Wisconsin, and the centerpiece is a 360-acre lake locked between 500-foot quartzite bluffs.

Part of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail cuts right through it, about 11 miles of the 1,200-mile route. But the bluffs are what stop you in your tracks, and the story behind them goes back further than you’d guess.

These bluffs are 1.6 billion years old

The quartzite walls around Devil’s Lake belong to the Baraboo Range, and they’re about 1.6 billion years old. That makes them older than the Rockies.

Older than the Himalayas. The rock started as sand on the floor of ancient shallow seas, then heat and pressure turned it to stone.

About 15,000 years ago, a glacier plugged both ends of a gap in the range with mounds of debris called moraines. Rain and meltwater did the rest.

The Ho-Chunk people, the area’s original inhabitants, called it Sacred Lake. European settlers mistranslated the name.

Climb 500 feet above the lake on the bluff trails

Twenty-nine miles of trails wind through the park, from flat paved paths to steep rocky scrambles.

The East Bluff Trail runs about 1.7 miles along the eastern ridge, and you get wide views of the lake and the countryside below. Over on the West Bluff Trail, the overlooks from the quartzite cliffs are just as good.

Both trails have stone staircases and rough footing, so bring solid shoes. Prospect Point on the West Bluff puts you 500 feet above the water.

Walk through a stone archway on the East Bluff

Devil’s Doorway looks like someone carved an archway out of solid rock on the East Bluff. A short side trail off the main route takes you right to it.

Nearby, Balanced Rock sits on the edge of a cliff, a massive boulder that seems like it shouldn’t stay put. Water froze and expanded in the quartzite cracks over centuries, slowly shaping both formations.

They’re some of the most photographed spots in Wisconsin’s entire state park system, and you can reach both from the East Bluff Trail.

Giant boulders line the western shore

The Tumbled Rocks Trail follows the base of the West Bluff for about 1.7 miles along the lake’s western shore.

You walk through massive fields of fallen boulders with the bluffs towering above you and the lake right beside you. The trail stays mostly flat, which makes it one of the best options for families.

The northern stretch is roughly paved, and if you have adventurous helpers along, you can push a stroller or wheelchair through parts of it.

No motors allowed on this 360-acre lake

Two sandy swimming beaches sit on opposite ends of the lake, each with its own bathhouse. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards at concession stands on both shores.

Gas-powered motors are banned, so the water stays calm and quiet. The lake drops 45 to 50 feet deep in spots, which makes it popular with scuba divers.

If you’d rather fish, you can cast from shore or from a boat for walleye, northern pike, bass and panfish.

Over 1,600 climbing routes on ancient rock

If you climb, Devil’s Lake has more than 1,600 routes and nearly 1,500 boulder problems spread across the quartzite bluffs. The East Rampart draws the most climbers, with a dense concentration of cliff faces.

Every route here is traditional style, so you won’t find a single bolt in the rock. The park doesn’t require permits, but you climb at your own risk.

If you’re just starting out, local outfitters run guided trips for beginners and experienced climbers alike.

Sacred mounds shaped like bears and birds

The park holds the largest remaining group of effigy mounds in Sauk County.

Ancestors of the Ho-Chunk people built them roughly 1,000 years ago, shaping earth into the forms of bears, lynx and birds, along with linear and conical designs.

On the south shore of the lake, a large bird effigy with a forked tail faces the water. These mounds carry deep cultural and spiritual significance.

You can walk near them and see the shapes clearly, but stay off the mounds themselves.

A slot canyon with a waterfall at the end

Parfrey’s Glen sits about four miles east of the main park, a narrow gorge cut into sandstone on the south side of the Baraboo Hills. Wisconsin named it the state’s first Natural Area back in 1952.

The walls reach nearly 100 feet deep, with sandstone embedded with quartzite pebbles. A 0.8-mile trail follows a small creek through the gorge to a waterfall at the far end.

Leave your food, drinks and pets behind, though. The glen protects rare plants and insects.

Puzzle boxes and peregrine falcons at the Nature Center

The Nature Center on the north shore has a 3D model of the park, live reptile displays and geology exhibits that walk you through how the bluffs formed.

Head downstairs and you’ll find historic photographs from the park dating to the late 1800s. Kids get their own exploration room with puzzles, mystery boxes and hands-on activities.

Outside, the park is home to over 100 nesting bird species and more than 200 recorded species total. Keep an eye out for peregrine falcons, turkey vultures and white-tailed deer.

Free snowshoes and frozen-lake fishing in winter

Winter strips the crowds and changes everything. You can cross-country ski on trails throughout the park, though nobody grooms them.

The Nature Center loans snowshoes for free on a first-come basis, and you can use them anywhere in the park. The Steinke Basin Loop is the most popular route for both skiing and snowshoeing.

Once the lake freezes, ice fishing takes over.

The park also has a sledding hill, and on a weekday in January, you might have the whole place nearly to yourself.

Fall color draws visitors from across the Midwest

Summer packs the beaches, fills every campsite and puts hikers on every trail.

But fall is when the bluffs really show off, with foliage that pulls visitors from across the Midwest. Spring brings wildflowers and migrating birds back after the snow melts.

The Baraboo Hills carry the title of National Natural Landmark and the Nature Conservancy counts them among its Last Great Places.

Whether you come for an afternoon or a long weekend, every season gives you a different version of this park.

Explore Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin

You’ll find Devil’s Lake State Park at S5975 Park Road in Baraboo, Wisconsin, about 35 miles northwest of Madison and roughly three hours from Chicago. You need a Wisconsin state park vehicle sticker to get in.

Three campgrounds spread across the park with hundreds of sites, but reservations fill fast on summer weekends, so book early.

The Nature Center, concession stands and beaches open daily in summer, with shorter hours the rest of the year. Check the official website for current details.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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