Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Despite its sinister-sounding name, Devil’s Lake State Park is one of the most beautiful and peaceful locations in all of Wisconsin. If you’re renting an RV in Wisconsin, then you need to make sure to visit this wonderful state park.
With more than 9,000 acres to explore, you and your family should be able to have an unforgettable experience in this park filled with an amazing view, wildlife, activities and so much more.
The park is located on the western side of the last ice-sheet deposited during the Wisconsin glaciation in the south-central section of the state. It’s about 35 miles northwest of the city of Madison, Wisconsin, which is also worth a visit if you’re in the area.
This area is very amenable to RVers. There are plenty of campgrounds in the area that can easily accommodate RVs and that helps make Devil’s Lake State Park a good location to visit. Here are some additional reasons to check out this state park.
Obviously, one of the biggest draws of Devil’s Lake State Park is the large lake. This 360-acre lake offers an excellent spot for swimming, paddleboarding, and other watersports. There are two larges sandy beaches with bathhouses.
Boating is also a popular activity here. However, it’s important to note that motorboats are not allowed on the lake. This means boating is restricted to kayaks, rowboats, and canoes. There are boat rentals at the park and even tours offered.
Hiking and biking are also very popular activities that you can partake in. Hiking at the park is one of the most common activities, and there are over 29 miles of trails that you can hike. The trails range from easy to difficult, and some of them are better-maintained than others.
Biking is restricted to only the Uplands Loop Trail, which provides about four miles of trail for you to cover. It’s not paved and isn’t super family-friendly, but if you’re up for some good trail riding, then you’ll have a blast.
There are about 38 species of mammals inside the park, 115 species of birds, and various amphibians and reptiles, including timber rattlesnakes. One of the most enjoyable and educational things you can do is just sit and look for wildlife. Bring along some binoculars!
You can also slowly walk the hiking trails and keep an eye out for wildlife. Be sure to be cognizant of your surroundings and try your best to avoid disturbing any natural habitat.
Each year, the DNR stocks the lake with Brown trout, Pike, and Walleye. Because of this, you can fish off the shore or you can fish from a boat. You will need to obtain the proper state fishing licenses before you go fishing here.
Here’s a full list:
In addition to fishing, you can also hunt at the Devil’s Lake State Park. Hunting and trapping are restricted to certain areas of the park. You’ll need to obtain the proper hunting licenses and you’ll also need to abide by the correct hunting seasons within the park. There are around 6,400 acres that are for open hunting.
If you’re interested in rock climbing and bouldering, then you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better place in the entire Midwest. Devil’s Lake offers good options for both beginners and advanced climbers.
Various businesses run climbing businesses at the park, and it’s highly recommended that you do your climbing through one of these businesses They will provide you with the proper equipment and instruction so you can have a fun, challenging, and safe climb.
Quartzite Campground is one of the campgrounds located in the state park. It was once a nine-hole golf course and that makes for wide grassy campsites.
Only some of the campsites here feature electric hookups, but none feature full hookups. There is, however, a dump station at the campsite that campers can use. Also available to campers are a playground and a modern bathhouse.
Filled with 71 campsites, Northern Lights Campground inside the state park has a good mix of campsites with and without electric hookups. Again, there are no full hookups at this campsite.
With that said, the campground does offer a dump station, playground, modern shower house, and bathroom facilities. The campground is also more wooded and shaded than the Quartzite Campground, which can be a desirable feature on those hot days.
If you’re up for roughing it a little more than you would at the other campgrounds listed here, the Ice Age Campground is the way to go. It’s right inside the park.
You won’t find any hookups here. No electricity and no water hookups, but there are primitive bathroom facilities. This campground is well-shaded, and it welcomes both tent campers and RVs.
The last campground in the park is the Devil’s Lake Group Camp. It’s a campground reserved for group camping. If you and several of your friends are all going to camp at the state park and you want to stick together, you can rent out a campsite here.
This camp has eight different campsites that can each work for large groups ranging from 20 to 60 campers. You’ll need to make a reservation ahead of time, to find out which campsites are available and if they will accommodate your group. There are modern bathrooms and shower facilities on-site.
Wheeler’s Campground is nestled in a 70-acre plot of land in the Baraboo Hills. It’s about a mile from Devil’s Lake State Park, so you won’t have far to go. The campground features many full hookup campsites.
The campground also offers visitors a camp store, hot showers, a bathroom facility, Wi-Fi, and a game room with a pool table and ping pong. There is also a fishing area and some hiking trails right at the campground.
If you want to eat within the park’s boundaries, you have three separate options. There are three different concessions areas within the park. As you can imagine, these are not sit-down restaurant-style accommodations. They’re more designed for a quick-bite.
There’s a concessions area at the north end of the lake, one at the south end of the lake, and then there’s also one inside the camp store at the Ice Age Campground.
Additionally, there’s the North Shore Chateau near where you would rent kayaks and other equipment. Here you can find snack foods and an ice cream stand.
Want to eat outside of the park? Then you have more options. Baraboo, Wisconsin, is the town around the state park and if offers a wide variety of restaurants and bars. Here’s a shortlist of some of the local favorites.
Additionally, there are also a couple of breweries and distilleries in the area. The closest ones are located in Baraboo, too. These will give you some other options for dining. Here are a couple of options to choose from.
No matter where you choose to eat or what campground you choose to park your rented RV, we’re sure you’ll have a good time at Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin.