Devil's Lake State Park

The good news about camping in the “off” season is fewer crowds; the bad news is that many of the perks (concessions, boat rentals,etc) are not available. After summer during the week, the only campground available is Quartzite (I believe there are two others plus a group campground). The bathrooms in Quartzite were new and very clean. Not all sites are completely level but most of the electric ones are. Trails are plentiful and some are quite challenging but offer fantastic views. Trails are well marked. We were there on a cold, cloudy day but I think it is the best time to visit.Of all the Wisconsin State parks we have camped in recently, Devil’s Lake is the best!

We stayed in the Quartzite campground, mostly because we read that it was more accessible for big rigs. We had a reservation and followed Google Maps to the park. The drive in was a little unnerving, lots of trees and very few signs to reassure you that are went the right way. But, we did and pulled in to the parking area for camper registration. It was 2pm on a Sunday (father's day) and while we expected the park to be busy we thought most people would be leaving, not arriving. It was packed and the line in the building to check in wound around the small space. Even so, the check in process was fairly quick and painless.

To get to Quartzite campground you actually leave the park briefly, but even with a big rig is wasn't bad. Our site, #99 was a bit of a challenge. Most of the sites have gravel that has been overgrown with grass. Ours had a slope on either side of the narrow pad, so getting as close to centered was important. We did the best we could, but had difficulty leveling and ended up tilted downhill on the door side. We have an additional step we use and even with that we had a large step down since the entire site slanted down from the pad. Many of the sites have this same problem, but there are some a little flatter. Some others slant up or down along the pad, which would make leveling difficult as well.

The campground is very open, but you aren't right next to people and some trees are scattered around. The 50 amp hookup worked without any issues. There are a couple composting toilets, as well as a main bath house. The showers were ok for a state park, but we didn't use them. There are water fountains and faucets in a few places, but you'll need a container to use them.

The park itself is huge and we didn't come close to exploring it all, I suspect this is the biggest attraction at the campground. They say they are completely full every weekend, so plan in advance or arrive very early on Friday morning.

We had no AT&T signal, but our Verizon had 2 bars and LTE without our booster. I will note that even in Baraboo there was little to no AT&T signal.

I would stay here again if I wanted to visit the park, but I would be more particular about our site.

Big rigs be very careful....the entrance to the park is a long winding tree covered road and best to stay in the Quartzite Loop and enter off of County Road DL. Rock climbing, swimming, scuba diving (local dive shop closed though), hiking, biking etc. If you want to do it outdoors this is the place to go. If you want to go outside the park there isn't a better location in the state.....Wisconsin Dells, Circus, Scenic Drives, Wineries, State Capital, Parfrey's Glen, International Crane Foundation. If you can't find something to do here then you don't like the outdoors!

This densely wooded state park offers lots to do; from boating, fishing, and swimming in Devil's Lake to amazing hiking and nearby sights. The only reason I'm not giving it a five star rating is due to the low tree branches and uneven sites. Large rigs beware and stay in the Quartzsite Loop. Even entering the state park to the camper check-in had us a little concerned with our 5th wheel.

For those of you with low profile trailers or tents, you'll love this place. The other two loops offer some very private sites amongst dense vegetation. The restrooms were very clean and the individual showers provided privacy and plenty of warm water.

The town of Baraboo is home to the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum. There's a twice a week farmer's market and the International Crane Foundation is a must see for anyone interested in conservation, ecosystems, and learning about international efforts to save endangered cranes. The Wisconsin Dells is a popular place for kids - bring a thick wallet. It is very commercialized and attracts lots of folks from Chicagoland.

This is a very popular state park. We made a reservation 5 months in advance and were still unable to book a site over a weekend. During the week, there appeared to be enough available sites for drop-ins. We camped there the middle of August.