With More Than 9,200 Acres To Explore, Wisconsin’s Largest State Park Is Worthy Of A Multi-Day Adventure
By Ben Jones|Published August 04, 2022
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Ben Jones
Author
Ben Jones is at heart an adventurer who delights in inspiring others. A former reporter and photojournalist, he explored towns large and small as a Wisconsin correspondent for USA Today. He later became a lead photographer and senior copywriter for an award-winning destination marketing agency, before founding Boldland Creative, a company that produces photography, video, and other content for travel destinations. Jones has completed photography and content projects in more than 15 states and when he’s not looking through a camera or at his Macbook you’ll find him exploring the world’s lakes and forests.
Wisconsin’s state parks are all pretty amazing. The state has 66 state parks and they collectively cover more than 60,000 acres. There’s one state park that’s bigger than any other and it arguably is one of the most spectacular parks in the state. It’s called Devil’s Lake State Park and it’s packed with things to see and do – here’s why you need to plan a multi-day adventure at Wisconsin’s latest state park:
For starters, this park is an awesome place for a camping adventure. The park has more than 400 campsites spread across four campgrounds: the Northern Lights Campground, Quartzite Campground, the Ice Age Campground, and Group Campground. Some sites are open all year – the Northern Lights Campground even has a sledding hill!
If you’re a hiker, there’s so much to explore. The park has 41 miles of hiking paths. Some offer spectacular views of the lake and bluffs - if you’re up for a little climbing. The highest point will take you to Prospect Point, on the West Bluff. It’s 500 feet above the lake!
Rock climbers will find a lot to love at this state park. While a lot of the bluffs in the Midwest are made of soft and brittle stone, like sandstone and limestone, the bluffs at Devil’s Lake are made of hard quartzite. It’s one of the premier climbing destinations in the Midwest. If you aren’t ready to strap on a helmet and harness, you can hike past the climbers and see some amazing rock formations.
The park’s namesake lake is also a place for amazing aquatic recreation. It's a popular place for scuba diving and snorkeling, as well as a premier fishing lake, although you'll want to note that motorized boats are not allowed. It’s a small and calm lake so its also good for paddling a canoe or kayak.
You can also explore some native history in the park. Long before European settlers arrived in Wisconsin, many native tribes inhabited this area. Across from the park’s nature center, you’ll find some very old effigy mounds that are in the shape of animals, like a lynx and a sparrow.
Both ends of the lake feature swimming beaches, and there are expansive picnic areas and plenty of shade trees, so Devil’s Lake is a good place to relax on a summer day.
A vehicle admission sticker is required to visit Devil’s Lake State Park. Arrive early on busy summer weekends to get a parking spot – the park is very popular. Learn more about the park on the state Department of Natural Resources website. After exploring the park, here’s an awesome place nearby to enjoy some refreshments.
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