Cheese might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Wisconsin. But don't underestimate the natural beauty of this midwestern state. A scenic loop around Devil’s Lake will leave you appreciating much more than just its famous dairy products.
Trail Info
Know before you go
This state park is extremely popular. With its trails, beaches, and a lake perfect for paddling, it attracts over 1 million visitors annually, making it Wisconsin's most visited park. Be prepared to share the trails with plenty of fellow hikers.
There are two entry points to the park, one leading to the North Shore Beach and the other to the South Shore Beach. This post covers the North Shore starting point, but either entry works equally well for accessing the trails.
The trail has uneven footing, with some sections on very slick boulders. I was genuinely surprised by how slippery some of the rocks were and nearly took a tumble a few times. Take it slow and watch out for the distinctive purple rocks!
Alternate routes
Completing the entire loop may just not be in the cards for you, but there's plenty of other modifications/alternative trails to choose from (full list here). A few that stood out to me:
If parking on the South Shore, the Devil's Doorway offers a shorter yet and still scenic hike.
Alternatively, you could hike to Balanced Rock from either the north or south shore.
The Trail
Your starting point for the trail will depend on where you park. For us, that was near North Beach. I chose to hike the trail clockwise, hitting the East Bluff Trail first and then the West Bluff Trail.
There's a few different forks at the beginning of the trail but in general it is easy to follow. Just stay along that East Bluff Trail.
This ascent up East Bluff was moderate with some stairs, but overall good footing. However, it does get trickier on the descent.
There's several spots where you can pop out and get a view of the lake. No need to visit all of them, but worth checking out a few. Note there are a few other landmarks in this area, notably Elephant Cave and Elephant Rock, but I managed to breeze right by them.
There are some junctions along this trail, so keep a map handy just in case. In general the rule of thumb is to pick the path closer to the lake.
Another junction appears at the Balanced Rock Trail, a trail to one of the major landmarks of the hike (aside from the lake itself) and definitely worth a visit. The Balanced Rock Trail leads back down to lake level, but you can also continue along the East Bluff Trail for a gentler descent. I decided to descend on the Balanced Rock Trail.
A few shots of balanced rock. Impressive!
It is shortly after passing balanced rock where I found this trail to become slightly treacherous. You are required to descend along a path of rocks/boulders, some of which were SLIPPERY. It borderline felt like I stepped on black ice. I almost went full Bambi a few times and saw others do the same. I noticed the slickest rocks were those with a purple discoloration on them. So my advice is avoid stepping on the purple rocks.
(Side note, if you take the East Bluff Trail instead of going down the Balanced Rock Trail, you're likely in for a less intense descent. I can't know for sure since I didn't do it myself, but it would be hard to be tougher than this section.)
After descending this section you will get back to lake level where you will circle the southern section of the lake and South Beach.
Which does involve walking along a boardwalk and South Lake Road a short ways before you head up the West Bluff Trail.
I found the West Bluff trail to be a little less natural than the East since more of it was paved.
Still, the views were just as pretty with a lovely new perspective of Devil's Lake. This spot is known as Prospect Pinnacle.
Quite a beautiful spot in the "Badger State." I may have to come back some time and do it during winter!
SS Reflections
Naturally, my first visit to Wisconsin had to include a hike—and the one I chose did not disappoint. No, it’s not a narrow Hawaiian ridge or an iconic White Mountain peak like those I’ve grown accustomed to, but it had its own unique beauty. Seeing so many hikers along the trail, each enjoying that sense of joy and connection that comes with being in nature, made me appreciate this experience even more.
Other helpful resources
This writeup about the loop trail
The official Devil's Lake Website with all the trails and descriptions