Devil's Lake State Park (Wisconsin)

The area where the park now stands was first settled by pioneers in the mid-1800s. By the start of the 20th century, the area had become a popular vacation destination for wealthy families from Chicago and Madison. The first hotel was established in 1866, 50 years before the park was founded.[7]

The park was founded in 1911.[8] It was home to five resorts, two of which were perched on the west bluff. No trace of any of these hotels remains. There were also many private residences in the west and south shores of the lake, only four of which remain.[9] At various times the lakeshore hosted water slides, lodges, and golf courses. The clubhouse of one course sat on the current location of the park's nature center. By the 1940s, the hotels were all closed, and the park was retreating to its former natural self.

From 1934 to 1941, approximately two hundred members of the Civilian Conservation Corps resided in a work camp. These young men built many of the trails, buildings, and benches still in use today.[8]

In 1974, the National Park Service declared the Southern portion of the Baraboo Hills a National Natural Landmark. The Nature Conservancy also designated it as one of the Last Great Places; it is one of only 77 of these places in the world.[2]

On October 16, 2020, a 24-year old man was found stabbed to death along a trail on the south side of the park. [10] The Sauk County Sheriff’s Department and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified the victim as John Craig Schmutzer of Wauwatosa, WI. The suspect has not been identified.[11]

Loess covers most of the hills and forms the parent material of a brown silt loam soil. The lake is surrounded by a mixed conifer-deciduous forest and the Baraboo Hills are also home to one of the largest contiguous hardwood forests in the Midwest.[2]

North Glacial Moraine is well covered by the north shore developments. The parking lots, concession building and the picnic shelter all sit atop the moraine. This moraine forms the northern border of Devil's Lake.[12] The moraine is approximately 80 feet (24 m) thick.[13]

Southeast Glacial Moraine is located between the East Bluff-South Face and the South Bluff. The Group Camp is located atop the moraine. It is best seen from the Roznos Meadow parking area along State Route 113.[12] The moraine is approximately 130 feet (40 m) thick.[13]

Due to the long geological history of Devil's Lake and the Baraboo Range, the area has been used in geological research for years. The lake itself is rectangular in shape and is a little over a mile long from north to south and a half mile from east to west. It has many cliffs, unique rock formations and a variety of animal and plant species.[14] One of the most notable features of the park is the presence of large talus slopes on three sides of the lake.[15]

The park has trails ranging from handicapped-accessible paved trails to difficult hiking or bouldering trails. There are 41 miles (66 km) of hiking trails in the park. The highest point is 500 feet (150 m) above Devil's Lake.[18] There are also bike trails available. Devil's Lake State Park contains eight miles of off-road bike trails and a two-mile paved path that is available for people with disabilities. There are three popular campgrounds at the park containing 407 campsites all together, one of which contains a sledding hill.[2]

Stereoscopic view of Devil's Doorway by Truman Ward Ingersoll

Rock climbing

Devil's Lake, published 1914

The geology of the Baraboo Hills surrounding Devil's Lake makes it one of the premier rock climbing areas in the Midwest, with climbs of varying difficulty. The Baraboo Hills are primarily quartzite, which is solid enough to climb. Most outcroppings in the region, especially in the Driftless Area, are composed of sandstone or limestone, which are too brittle to climb safely.

Devil's Lake has enjoyed a history of rock climbing since early ascents in the 20th century. Climbers such as the Stettner Brothers, and members of the hard-climbing group "DLFA"[19] have frequented the park extensively. Guidebooks cover more than a lifetime's worth of unique "routes" and sub-areas of the park.[20] For climbers, unique names for each major bluff formation is important in finding specific climbs and areas. The climbing style and protection system at Devil's Lake is known for its difficult, glassy rock and traditional fall-protection methods and anchors.[20][21]

There have been occasional deaths, injuries, and emergency rescues among the rock climbers at Devil's Lake.[22][23]

Common mammal life includes deer, raccoon, red fox, coyote, squirrels, and beavers. Black bears, cougars, groundhogs, and wolves have all been spotted at Devil's Lake.[25] There are 115 species of birds.[26] The timber rattlesnake is also present.[27]

• Badger Army Ammunition Plant
• Ice Age Trail

• Lange, Kenneth I. (1989), Ancient Rocks and Vanished Glaciers: A Natural History of Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin; Stevens Point, Wisconsin: Worzalla Publishing Company.
• Bagg, Alan R. (1978). 50 Short Climbs in the Midwest , pp. 63, 139.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Devil's Lake State Park.

• Devil's Lake State Park
• Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area