I’ve Been Gatekeeping This Little-Known State Park in Wisconsin

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m usually the guy telling everyone to visit the state's greatest hits—it just comes naturally with this gig. If you ask me about Wisconsin state parks, I’m probably going to rattle off Devil’s Lake, Peninsula, or Willow River—the places where the views are guaranteed, but unfortunately, so are the crowds. I generally assume that if everyone is going to a particular state park, there must be a reason, and that anyone who asks me will want to go there, too.

That said, I have a confession: For the past year or so, I’ve been sitting on a secret. I’ve been gatekeeping a park that is arguably one of the most serene, beautiful spots in the entire state, mostly because I didn’t want to ruin the silence. However, I thought it was about time to share it with you, so you can enjoy it before it gets overrun.

The place is Straight Lake State Park. And if you’ve never heard of it, don’t feel bad. According to the numbers, almost no one has.

Located in northwest Wisconsin, near aptly named Luck, Straight Lake holds the title of the least-visited state park in Wisconsin. While Devil’s Lake welcomes well over a million visitors annually, Straight Lake sees fewer than 8,000 a year. To put that in perspective, you could probably fit the park’s entire annual attendance into the parking lot of a Milwaukee-area Costco on a Saturday.

There’s a reason for the solitude, though, and it’s a feature, not a bug. Straight Lake is a "wilderness" park. That means no paved roads looping through the campgrounds, no RVs humming with generators, and no camp stores selling firewood and ice cream. It is walk-in only. If you want to see the lake, you have to use your legs.

The moment you leave your car at the small trailhead, you feel it. You trade the highway noise for a silence that immediately washes over you. As you hike the path toward the water, the trees close in, and you realize you aren’t just visiting a park; you’re entering a sanctuary.

The park itself is stunning in a way that feels ancient. It was carved out by glaciers, leaving behind tunnel channels and ridges that create a dramatic, rolling landscape. The centerpiece, naturally, is Straight Lake itself (and its neighbor, Rainbow Lake). Because there are no motors allowed and no drive-up boat launches, the water is glass-calm. If you bring a kayak, you have to carry it in, which acts as a sort of "nature’s bouncer," keeping the crowds away and ensuring that the only ripples on the water are from the trumpeter swans or the wind.

Once, after dropping off my kids at a nearby summer camp, I hiked a segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail that winds through the park, and for 3 hours, I didn't see another human being. No Bluetooth speakers, no shouting kids, just the sound of the wind in the old-growth trees and the occasional snap of a twig. It felt less like a public park and more like a private reserve I’d somehow inherited. The trail hugs the shoreline, offering views that you’d swear were matte paintings—panoramas of water, sky, and forest that look almost too good to be real.

If you’re looking for a playground or a beach with a lifeguard, this isn’t it. However, if you’re seeking a place where you can sit on a glacial ridge, watch an eagle hunt over the water, and actually hear yourself think, this is the spot.

I’m almost kicking myself for writing this, because part of me wants to keep Straight Lake State Park quiet forever. Nevertheless, places like this deserve to be seen, enjoyed, and used—even if you have to work a little harder to get to them. Just do me a favor if you go: enjoy the view, but keep the secret. Let’s keep this one quiet a little longer.