Canoeing, Kayaking & SUP'ing at Devil's Lake State Park
Where to Paddle In & Around Wisconsin's Favorite Inland LakeThe Best Three Things About Paddling at Devil’s Lake
1.The Views
At one mile long by a 1/2-mile wide, Devil’s Lake is a sizable piece of water with possibly the best views of any inland lake in Wisconsin (or even the entire Midwest). To the east, west and south, 500’ purple quartzite bluffs tower over the lake, flanked by fields of enormous boulders below. It’s delightful.
2. “No Wake” Rule
Only the wind will stir up waves here. Gasoline engines are banned on Devil’s Lake, and electric motors cannot go more than 5 mph. You can paddle, float or swim without worrying about being swamped or rocked by motorboat waves. This also makes Devil’s Lake ideal for folks training for big open water swims.
3. All Human-Powered Watercraft Can Have Fun Here
Canoes, kayaks, SUPs, sailboats, row boats, flat-bottomed fishing boats, paddleboats and pontoons… sometimes you’ll see all these craft on the same day here. Since nobody is going particularly fast and there’s plenty of room, everyone has space to do their own thing.
Kayaks and canoes paddle north along the railroad tracks, below the East Bluff.
What Watercraft Can You Paddle at Devil’s Lake?
Bring Your Own Boat
Folks who own boats have maximum flexibility. You can carry small boats to numerous sandy and grassy shores for launch. Larger trailered boats can launch from ramps at the north and south shores.
Rent a Boat
The Devil’s Lake Concession Company rents canoes, pontoon paddleboats and stand-up paddleboards.
Kayak Tours with Park Staff
Park staff offer two-hour kayak tours throughout the summer season, including natural and human history interpretation surrounding the Park’s geology, wildlife and human development. Visitors 10 years old and older are welcome, with an advance reservation (Nature Center, 608.356.8301). Bring your own boat (free) or rent one at the North Shore.
Where to Launch Your Vessel
North Shore Picnic Area offers both grassy and sandy shorelines, as well as a paved boat launch area (no pier). Choose the parking area that will best meet your launch needs.
The Southwest Boat Ramp area has a paved ramp for trailered boats, as well as a pier.
South Shore Picnic Area has convenient grass and sand shorelines for launching small craft, but it does not have a paved boat ramp.
South Shore Beach has a long, deep sand beach, great for launching and parking vessels. Rental boats from the Concession are pictured above.
Devil’s Lake Boat Rentals
Devil’s Lake Concession Company rents watercraft at both the North and South Shores from 10 AM to 6 PM daily in the summer months (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend).
Single person kayaks ($17/hour) and double person kayaks ($25/hour)
Stand-Up Paddleboards ($22/hour)
Paddle Pontoons ($35/hour)
Their boats and boards are “rental” quality as you might expect, but that’s fine for enjoying the water for an hour or two. If you need something higher end, consider renting something en route.
You’ll need a valid ID and a $100 deposit to rent a boat. PDFs are included with all boat rentals. All rentals must be returned by 5:45 PM and outgoing rentals shut down at 5 PM.
What to See
As good as the paddling on Devil’s Lake is, there aren’t too many “destinations.” The lake IS the destination! You’ll see 500’ cliffs and the West and East bluffs, soaring hawks, eagles and turkey vultures, huge talus fields, and maybe lots of visitors. The Lake isn’t particularly clear, so it’s not common to see fish and other underwater life.
Young men testing their intelligence at the Jumping Rock with a busy beach in the background.
The Jumping Rock (aka Pete’s Pebble, aka Rock 8) is a fun place to jump into the lake, though jumpers should beware of the super-slick nature of wet quartzite. Water shoes recommended.
The Devil’s Lake Concessions Corporation runs snack shops at the North Shore and the South Shore beach areas. Here, you can find sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, candy, drinks, and souvenirs. And also bathrooms!
Paddling Supplies
There’s no dedicated paddling shop in the greater Baraboo / Merrimac area. Your best bet is Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, WI.
Paddling Instruction
Rutabaga Paddlesports in Madison, WI is the nearest paddling school.
Nearby Paddling Opportunities
The Baraboo River offers a great, short section of paddling that includes some fun Class 1 riffles, right in the middle of town. Our favorite section goes from Haskins Park to Highway 113 (Glenville Landing), about 4.5 miles total.
Lake Wisconsin, a human-made lake created by the Sauk City dam, is a large body of water only 20 minutes of Devil’s Lake.
Mirror Lake is an intimate, special paddling experience 20 minutes north of Devil’s Lake. The easiest place to put your boat in is the boat ramp at Mirror Lake State Park.
Two youth paddle a canoe on the mighty Wisconsin River.
The Wisconsin River offers loads of paddling possibilities, including trips ranging from only a couple hours to multi-day overnight canoe-camping trips. Wisconsin Canoe Company rents canoes and runs shuttles for day trips and overnight excursions.