Devil's Lake
This is the Tagline for This Page

Devil’s Lake is located in Sauk County, Wisconsin, approximately two miles south of Baraboo. Devil’s Lake is only one of Wisconsin’s eleven lakes named “Devil’s Lake,” and across the United States 44 total bodies of water called “Devil’s Lake.” So the name is far from unique!

The 500-foot bluffs bordering Devil’s Lake to the east and west create a dramatic setting which has attracted and inspired people for tens of thousands of years. In 1918, Wisconsin created Devil’s Lake State Park, its second state park, to celebrate, protect and preserve the lake and the lands surrounding it.

Basic Lake Facts

Devil’s Lake is a 374 acre lake located in Sauk County, inside Devil’s Lake State Park. The lake is approximately one mile long (north - south) and .5 miles wide (east-west). It has a maximum depth of 47 feet and a mean depth of 30 feet (see nautical chart).

Access

All access to Devil’s Lake falls within Devil’s Lake State Park, so anyone who visits by vehicle must purchase a State Park pass.

Visitors may access the Devil’s Lake from:

public beaches at the North and South Shores
public boat landings (southwest and northeast corners)
the Tumbled Rocks trail which follows the western edge of the lake, or
the sidewalk that borders the south shoreline

Geology & Hydrology

Devil’s Lake is unique, in that it formed in an ancient river valley that was dammed on either end by terminal moraines during the most recent Ice Age. This resulted in an endorheic lake, one that does not have outlets. All the water in Devil’s Lake comes from its immediate surroundings and stays there (unless it evaporates).

Koshawago Creek flows from Koshawago Spring, and enters Devil’s Lake at its southwest corner, near the Boat Ramp. This is the only creek or stream that flows into Devil’s Lake. The Lake receives most of its volume underground, through the water table

The lake bottom sediment varies by area, but is comprised of 50% sand, 30% gravel, and 20% muck.

History

First peoples have camped at Devil’s Lake and traveled through the area for tens of thousands of years. European settlers began visiting Devil’s Lake in the 1840s and the Lake became a popular tourist destination, spurring development of cottages, farms, vineyards and hotels. Rampant development cause concern for protecting the resource, and the state halted and reversed development by creating the Park in 1918. Eventually, all private cottages and developments were torn town and reverted to natural landscape. Read more about human history at Devil’s Lake.

Water Quality & Pollution

Devil’s Lake has received a number of grants over the years to study water quality issues.

View and study water quality reports and graphs.

Swimmer’s Itch has been a perennial issue for swimmers.

Boating

Gas-powered motors were banned on Devil’s Lake in 1964. Battery-powered electric motors are allowed, permitted they operate at slow-no-wake speed not to exceed 5 mph.

Swimming

Swimming is allowed throughout the Devil’s Lake. Though most people swim from the North and South Shore beaches, one can swim from any access point. “Pete’s Pebble” is a popular spot for small-scale cliff diving. The Cottage Road beach is popular with dog owners.

Swimmer’s Itch is a perennial problem at Devil’s Lake, though it’s not serious. Both beaches offer shower facilities where swimmers can wash off lake water and any “hitchhikers” after their swimming session.

Devil’s Lake is popular with triathletes because it’s one-mile length is the standard swim distance in Ironman triathlons.

Fishing

Fish include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Trout and Walleye. See our in-depth Devil’s Lake fishing guide for more information. For catch regulations, see Devil’s Lake fishing regulations from the WI DNR.