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Devil’s Lake State Park

Spectacular scenery, a full range of recreational activities, and a full-time naturalist make this a very popular park. The nearly-10,000-acre state park is 2 miles south of Baraboo and about 40 miles northwest of downtown Madison.

More people visit Devil’s Lake State Park annually—1.2 to 1.4 million—than any other state park in Wisconsin. Peak visitation is during the late spring, summer and fall, when visitors can swim in or boat on the clear, 360-acre spring-fed lake.

The park is a unit of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. Federal Golden Eagle, Golden Age and Golden Access Passports as well as Wisconsin state park admission stickers are honored. Holders of National Parks passports receive a waiver of the vehicle admission fees, but camping fees are not affected. Devil’s Lake also has a segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

State parks nearby are Mirror Lake (12 miles northwest), Rocky Arbor (19 miles northwest), and Natural Bridge (20 miles west). Also nearby is the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, a state historic site.

Water recreation

Many anglers come to the lake for fishing—from shores or boats (electric motors only) in spring through fall and through the ice in winter. The lake is home to brown trout, walleye and northern pike, bass, and panfish. A fishing license is required for anyone age 16 or over, and a trout stamp is required for trout fishing.

There is a boat launch at each end of the lake. Boats and canoes may be rented at the park’s concession. Life preservers are required for all boats, including rubber rafts.

There are two beaches totaling 3,300 feet in length, each with a bath house. Lifeguards are not provided. SCUBA diving is popular. Diving flags are required.

Devil’s Lake is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Visitor Center hours are from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily in the summer and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in other seasons.

All parked vehicles must have a valid vehicle admission sticker, and all campers must first register and pay before setting up. These requirements may be taken care of at the Visitor Center or at one of several self-pay stations. Write the park at S 5975 Park Road, Baraboo, WI 53913. Park information may be obtained by calling 608-356-8301.

The park is not maintained for rock climbing; do it at your own risk. Loose rocks may be encountered.

Dances are often held in the historic chateau building along the lake on summer weekend evenings.

How to Get There

From the south or east on Interstate Highway 90/94, take State Highway 33 west about 15 miles to Baraboo. Turn left (south) on State Highway 123 and go 3 miles to the park.

From the northwest on I-90/94, go right (south) at exit 92. Take US Highway 12-East about 10 miles to State Highway 159. Turn left (east) on Highway 159 and go about 2 miles to the park.

From the south on US 12, turn right (east) on Highway 159 and go about 2 miles to the park.

From about April through November, the park can be reached via the Merrimac free ferry, State Highway 113 and County Highway DL.

For campsite descriptions and availability, call (888) WI PARKS ((888) 947-2757) or check the Web. For other information, ask:

Devil’s Lake State Park S5975 Park Rd. Baraboo WI 53913-9299

(608) 356-8301 (608) 356-4281 Fax

Camping at Devil’s Lake

Devil’s Lake State Park is one of the busiest Wisconsin state parks for camping. The park has:

Three regular campgrounds, with a total of 407 sites that each accommodate a family or one to six individuals. Of the sites, 353 are reservable and the rest are first-come, first-served.

Nine group campsites can accommodate a total of 240 campers. See the group camp map. Three of the sites, accommodating 20 campers each, are very rustic and have not been cleared of trees or shrubs.

The family campgrounds offer sites for a variety of camping styles:

Accessible Sites - Six wheelchair-accessible electric campsites (sites 701-706) are scattered through Devil’s Lake’s three campgrounds. Each accessible site has a paved driveway and a paved pathway leading to a running water rest room building. Five of the six sites have private accessible rest room and shower in a nearby building. Three sites are wooded and three are in mostly open grassy areas.

Double Campsites in all three campgrounds, are regular size, but are located next to another campsite. These pairs of campsites are designed so campers traveling together can camp together if the want to do so without being forced to share the site. Each individual site still has the basic facilities like other non-double sites. There are 42 pairs of double campsites.

Electricity - Each of the 121 electrical campsites has a vertical electrical box with two regular outlets, one 30-amp RV hookup, and one 20-amp RV hookup.

Tent Camping - Tenters may use any of the park’s campsites, with or without electricity. Each campsite has enough room for at least one family camping tent. Most wooded sites have room for one to two tents, although a few might be cramped with two. Grassy campsites usually have room for several tents. The number of tents per campsite is not limited, but the number of occupants and vehicles is limited.

Vehicle Camping - Recreational vehicle campers may use any of the campsites in the park, with or without electricity. Small pop-up camper trailers will fit on almost any campsite. Drivers of larger motor homes and large trailers sometimes find it awkward to fit on smaller wooded campsites, and congregate in the more open camping areas. If you have a large rig, it is best if you personally know the campsites before selecting or reserving a site. Driveway length information is available when you reserve a site, but that may not tell you how much maneuvering space you have at a given site.

Off-Season Camping - Camping is available all year at Devil’s Lake State Park. During the winter, 12 campsites in Quartzite Campground are kept plowed open. Another 20 sites in Quartzite Campground may be available for tent campers wanting to experience winter snow camping. The running water rest rooms, water taps, and showers are closed during the winter. One winterized water tap and pit toilets are available to winter campers. Running water restrooms are open and available 24 hours/day in the Visitor Center and Headquarters buildings.

Northern Lights and Ice Age campgrounds close in October and re-open in about April.

For campsite descriptions and availability, call (888) WI PARKS ((888) 947-2757) or check the Web. For other information, ask Devil’s Lake State Park, (608) 356-8301.

Devil’s Lake State Park Trails

Devil’s Lake has trails for hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing. Some visitors also enjoy climbing and snowshoeing at the park.

Hiking Trails

Devil’s Lake has 29.9 miles of trails, all of which are open for hiking in spring, summer, and fall. There’s a 1-mile interpretive nature trail. The park has 1.5 miles of trail that are accessible for people with disabilities; some other trails, such as the one in Parfrey’s Glen (right), require climbing stone steps.

Bike Trails

The park also has 8.0 miles of off-road bike trails. A state trail pass is no longer required to use the mountain bike trails. There are no official paved road-bike trails in the park, although many people enjoy riding several miles on all the paved campground roads. A 2-mile paved bicycle trail extends from the park’s north shore entrance to the City of Baraboo.

Climbing

The park is not maintained for rock climbing; do it at your own risk. Climbers may encounter loose rocks.

Devil’s Lake State Park Nature Center

Stop in at the Nature Center to view exhibits or ask questions of the park naturalist. Nature Center hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily in season. After October 14, the Nature Center is closed most days. Throughout the winter, it may be open some weekends, and even some weekdays for limited hours. If you’re planning a visit in which attending a nature program or visiting the Nature Center is crucial, please call ahead to find out the latest program schedule and to confirm that the Nature Center will be open that day.

If you do get to visit the Nature Center in the off season, be sure and ask the uniformed naturalist “where is that Luke Woodswalker?” Wonder what he does in the winter anyway?

A three-dimensional landform model of the park will bring the park terrain into sight from a bird’s-eye view. A series of panoramas make clear the formation of the valley, once 1,000 feet deep, now half-filled with rock and sediment and topped by the 50-foot-deep Devil’s Lake. Hands-on items include various bones, furs, shells, and rocks. Downstairs are many historic photographs dating from the late 1800s well into the 20th century. Children will enjoy the kid’s exploration room with quizzes, activities, and mystery boxes of hidden touchy-feely items!

During the summer, nature programs are scheduled most days at 9:30 a.m. in the Visitor Center. Program themes include snakes, skulls, worms, stories, beavers, rocks, spiders, Indian mounds, beetles, bird watching, bats, plants, geology. Most programs are appropriate for families and all ages. Evening Programs are presented each Saturday night in the Northern Lights Amphitheater. Call ahead for topics and times.

Source: WDNR