You Haven't Lived Until You've Experienced This One Incredible Lake In North Dakota
By Leah|Published October 20, 2017
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Leah
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Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
This is one of those places that almost seems to determine if you’re a true North Dakotan or not depending on if you’ve been there before or have yet to go. If you haven’t experienced this lake yet, then put it on the top of your must-see list. People from hundreds of miles away travel to this place for a reason, after all! It doesn’t matter if you experience it from the shore or on the water, you must check this out:
Devils Lake is North Dakota's top lake destination.
This massive lake is the state's largest natural body of water. It is popular with many for its fantastic recreation opportunities, particularly fishing, ice fishing, boating, and lakeside camping. It shares a name with the city that is right on the edge of it.
The lake is huge and there are many spots for amazing panoramic views.
The photo above was taken in the Sullys Hill National Game Preserve which lies right on the banks of Devils Lake. This preserve is one of the prettiest natural spots in North Dakota and has a great trail up the hill to see this unforgettable sight. As a game preserve, it also gives you the chance to see quite a bit of wildlife including deer, elk, and bison.
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Fishing is the main attraction to Devils Lake, of course. It has been named the perch capital of the world.
It doesn't matter what time of year it is, you will pretty much always find people fishing on Devils Lake. In the summer, the boat ramps are busy while people head out on the water to cast a few lines. In the winter, the ice is dotted with plenty of fishing houses while people ice fish. It is the main draw to visiting the lake. And perch isn't the only fish that can be caught here. The lake is popular for snagging walleye and northern pike, as well.
People also visit the area for the beautiful natural scenery surrounding and among it.
Head out onto an island in the lake to experience views like this in the fall. The photo above was taken in the Grahams Island State Park that lies in Devils Lake. It is densely forested and has plenty of cabins, campgrounds, trails, and picnic tables to offer the perfect afternoon out at the lake.
Along with the parks, Devils Lake is surrounded by plenty of resorts, cabins, hotels, restaurants, and more ways to make a trip to the lake into an entire weekend getaway.
If you just want to spend the day or you'd like to spend a whole week at Devils Lake, the area has got you covered. It is certainly not short on ways to enjoy it.
It's no wonder why Devils Lake is one North Dakota's favorite, if not the favorite, lake destination - even among out-of-staters. This lake is gorgeous and fun, all in one place.
Have you ever been to Devils Lake? If you have and you’ve taken pictures of the scenery, feel free to submit them to or page or our Instagram @onlyinnorthdakota for a chance to have them featured!
If lakes aren’t really your style but you still love experiencing the legendary natural scenery of North Dakota, then perhaps these must-see hiking spots in the state are more up your alley.
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