With a new baby in our life, this year we planned trips close to home that didn’t require flying. It worked out even better with COVID sticking around way past its welcome. Amirite? GO AWAY COVID).
State Parks are a great family-friendly getaway that offer a lot to do. We’ve camped at Devils Lake before, so we already knew we loved it. There’s enough to do that there were still some activities that were newish to us. This is a list of what we did while we were there this past weekend- yes with a baby! We had such a good time full of fresh air, nature and friends.
Hiking the bluffs: The two bluffs, east and west, go around the lake, and they both have unique trails with beautiful lookouts. Whichever bluff you choose to hike, make sure you wear good shoes. We started at about 10 am and hiked the east bluff, and it took about two to three hours. There were a lot of people out hiking but it was usually not too crowded.
They’re each a little bit different, and there are tons of lookouts with phenomenal views. Hiking both bluffs is definitely an all day thing, but hiking one was the perfect amount for us in a day. Devils doorway is probably the most popular attraction.
It’s a unique rock formation. It looked even cooler the day we were there because someone was climbing it.
Beach Day: The beaches are so nice. For a lake, I can’t believe how clear the water is. The parks, like the trails are so well taken care of. People brings floats, paddleboards and kayaks. They also have grills available to use. Just bring the charcoal and the food. We grilled out by the lake one day and played kubb, our favorite park game. Make sure to bring garbage bags because they don’t have garbages at the park, only dumpsters (probably part of how they keep it so clean).
Camping out: We stayed a few nights at the campgrounds. We’ve been to a few different campgrounds and I have to say Devils Lake is my favorite.
It offers different camping experiences. We stayed in the ice age. Which has no electricity. Talk about being forced to unplug. But there are also areas that do have electricity and places for campers. It felt so secluded from other campers and the public areas were clean.
Alternative to camping out: If you’re not a camper, I get it, there are some amazing cabins for rent nearby and Wisconsin Dells is just a 10 minute drive with even more things to do.
I recommend Devil’s Lake if you’re in Wisconsin or looking to visit. If you’re in another state and looking to stay close to home, most states have something similar.
