devil's lake state park

Clean with lots of parking,I always have a state park sticker, but worth the price of admission if you don't. Nice beach, and picnic areas when you arrive. Trails are not too difficult, lots of families. Be careful if you hike later, dark comes quickly and moonlight won't penetrate heavy tree cover. Lots of rock steps, could twist an ankle, helped another couple by letting them borrow an extra flashlight. They could not move until we gave them lights to borrow and were getting quite nervous. Met lots of people from other countries hiking there.

Devils lake has a plethora of activities swimming trails scenery etc. It is easy to spend the day here or even camp overnight. Plan ahead. The crowds here can get thick and the parking can look like the mall on black friday. If you can make a week day visit you may have a better time. A realistic idea if what to expect also helps temper the surprise about the crowds.

We live near this park and visit frequently. It has many hiking trails, nice beaches, plenty of picnic areas,and playgrounds. It also has a lot of options for camping. The park is very busy most weekends in the summer so visit during the week if possible.

Anytime of the year, this is an amazing place. snowshoe, xctry ski or hike. Enjoy! This is a state park that will never be boring.

Whether you enjoy hiking, picnicking, swimming or cross country skiing, Devils Lake is a wonderful place. A warning though is that it gets very crowded on Saturdays and during the day on Sundays during the summer. Weekdays and weeknights are heavenly. I've been coming to Devils Lake since I was a child, and currently live two miles from the park entrance. I never cease being in awe of the beauty of the place. The beach on the north shore is sandier than on the south shore, so I prefer the north shore. But the south shore has beautiful picnic areas and is sometimes less crowded. Both are great places to find a spot and spend the day. Camping is far from a wilderness experience, but the campgrounds are nice and have all the amenities.

Year after year this magical place is still bringing me back! Even in the winter I cant get enough of it.

We stopped here on the way home from Michigan and stayed in the camping area. The entrance, grounds and drive around the lake were lovely, but the campground facilities were only okay. the table was fairly rotten, so we couldn't use it and the shower facilities near us were barely usable. We would stay again for convenience, but not because the campsite was anything special.

This is our favorite place to hike , just beautiful all year round . Last summer , we went for a 2 day camping , hiking at the ice age trail, rock climbing , and kayaking .The early November we came back for a day hike , im sure spring this year im going back there again .

We go a few times every year! Great hiking trails, a fun picnic area and nice place to just hang out. We buy the annual pass and it is totally worth it.

The couple that we knew reserved a building on the beach and did the outdoor wedding thing. Perfect! It was catered and we had a ball. There was a little photobombing, however all was good and I look forward to coming back and doing some hiking and swimming.

Snow decorating the bluffs. People ice skating on the lake. Cold nip to the air. Always able to hike at the Lake.

My wife and I took a day last week and visited our favorite state park. Was wonderful hiking the bluff trails and hearing the ice on the lake groaning and cracking. There were several ice fisherman on the lake and with the sun out was a great day. Now there is snow on the ground, we plan to cross country ski by the Steinke basin. We walked up to the quartzite campground where they are constructing new bathroom facilities. Looks like they are making good progress.

We love coming to Devils Lake where the water is crystal clear and the air is fresh. The entire experience was gratifying.

We did a 5 hours hike in this area and its really beautiful there, the trails are very well marked and maintained, and it was not crowdy.

With some of the more spectacular rock formations in the midwest and a scenic lake all a short drive from Madison, it is little wonder this is a popular park. Unfortunately, the heavy traffic has taken its toll on the place. Some of the "trails" are actually paved with asphalt, and the campgrounds/recreational facilities have undermined the natural feel of the place. While the bluffs still make a visit worthwhile, the infrastructure that facilitates millions of visitors a year really damages the experience. The park doesn't even manage to shed its overcrowded and overbuilt tourist trap feel during the off-season, which is a real shame.